Gate: Thus Remnant Fought There
by Savnecro
Summary: A mysterious Gate opens up in Vale during the Vytal Festival, bringing forth an invasion from a new world. A world without the ever-looming threat of Grimm.
1. Chapter 1: The Gate

**Arc 1: Strangers and Friends**

**Chapter 1: The Gate**

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Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

Author's note: It's been a while, but I'm back. I've found a few RWBY X Gate stories around, but all of them were abandoned after just a few chapters. A shame, really, for I feel that this crossover has good potential. Hence, this story.

Also, if you haven't watched RWBY, go watch it. This story will contain serious spoilers. At the current time of writing, volume 6 is the most recent volume. When volume 7 comes out, I'll try to include whatever new lore they show, but I made a lot of assumptions when planning this out, so there will most likely be contradictions with RWBY canon.

Enough talk. On with the show! Or the story, I guess...

* * *

"The Vytal Festival Tournament is going smoothly. Half of the round one battles are complete, and now we're taking a break before the next half. Security reports no irregularities, though I still don't think that this amount of Knights is necessary, no matter what James may say. Apart from that... Ozpin, are you even listening to me?" Professor Glynda Goodwitch, the vice-headmaster of Beacon Academy, broke off her report to ask.

Headmaster Ozpin didn't reply, looking solemnly out of the window. The view from his office, at the very top of the Cross Continental Transmit Tower, on the cliff overlooking the city of Vale, was not only beautiful but allowed a good view over most of the said city. It was over this city that Ozpin gazed, unmoving, his hands resting on his cane.

"Ozpin?" Glynda prompted.

"Something is wrong, Glynda," Ozpin replied, so quietly that she almost missed it. Still, he didn't move.

Glynda stepped over to join him in looking out. The city of Vale was sprawled out before them, majestic, complicated... and peaceful. Ever since the Breach a few weeks ago, the city had known peace. The Grimm had been driven away and the breach repaired, Roman Torchwick had been locked up and even the White Fang had quietened down. Glynda saw no problems.

"What's the issue?"

Ozpin turned his head, just enough to look at her. The look in his eyes spoke volumes of his concern as he replied, "Magic. I sense powerful forces at work."

Glynda's brows furrowed, "Is it... her?"

"I do not know," Ozpin admitted, lowering his head, "It seems different from the usual. Like... like something alien trying to enter our world."

"That's... troubling," Glynda agreed, then fell silent for a moment. "Well, then I'll-"

Ozpin's scroll buzzed to life, interrupting her. He fished it out of the pocket, accepting the call.

"Qrow? You're back?" Ozpin asked, recognizing the number. Qrow Branwen, one of his trusted lieutenants, had been assigned to look around Remnant. If he was back, did he finish his objective, or was something bad about to happen?

"No shit, Oz. That's not why I called you. You seeing this thing?" Qrow asked. A video flickered to life on the screen, shot in real-time. It showed a massive stone gate in the center of the fairgrounds, unlike anything he had ever seen. It was built out of simple stone, without any sign of technology on it. "Any idea what it is? I hope you do because I'm not drunk enough for this."

Ozpin scanned the image, but it was impossible to identify anything of use from the low quality. As such, he decided, "Keep an eye on it, Qrow. I'm on my way." Then, as the video began to show curious people approaching it, he added, "And try to keep the civilians away."

* * *

Headmaster Ozpin was not the only person whose attention was drawn to the mysterious gate. From his flagship, the Hyperion, a metal fortress flying over the city, General Ironwood looked at the readings flooding in. He and his army were there for the protection of the people, after the disastrous Breach incident that had stuck the city a few weeks prior. They were supposed to be ensuring the safety of the Vytal Festival, and the mysterious gate could be a threat. He had thus set his ship's scanners upon it, trying to find out as much as he could.

"General, we're unable to identify the power source of this structure," a technician reported.

"It's made of solid stone. We can find no trace of technology at all."

"Yet it radiates such a field..." Ironwood muttered. He sighed. Knowing that speculation would get him nowhere, he decided to ask someone who might have a better idea of the situation. "Contact Ozpin."

The technicians did as ordered, and Ozpin's face soon appeared on a large screen in front of the general. From the background and shaking, James realized that Ozpin was heading straight for the gate.

"Ozpin! Do you know what's happening? Where did this... thing come from?" James demanded, getting straight to the point. He had been supervising the tournament, ensuring that nothing bad befell the kingdom while the first round took place. It was soon after the end of the first half that his soldiers saw and reported the presence of the gate. Whatever it was, it definitely was a possible threat to the safety of the citizens, and hence his responsibility.

Camera footage showed that the gate simply appeared, as though it simply phased into existence. Atlas was the most technologically advanced kingdom on Remnant - and the event still baffled his scientists.

"I have no idea, James," Ozpin responded, "Seeing as how you just called me, I'm assuming you had nothing to do with this either?"

Before James could reply, a technician called out, "Sir, we're detecting an energy spike. Whatever the gate's purpose, I think we're about to find out!"

"I suppose you heard that, Ozpin?"

"Yes. Monitor the situation, if you would. I can get there in maybe five minutes," Ozpin replied.

Nodding in agreement, James turned back to the image of the gate. It had changed. Now, the once empty center had turned into what seemed like a pathway, leading off into the unknown.

Before James' astonished eyes, the gate pulsed and disgorged its cargo. Hundreds of soldiers began marching out, wearing heavy armor and wielding swords and shields. Waves upon waves of them emerged, an endless tide of men. Then, without warning, they attacked.

The front lines charged forward, spreading out as they sought to kill. Civilians were cut down without mercy. Buildings and property were being destroyed and set ablaze. Anything that wasn't bolted down the invading army pillaged as if it were their right. Within moments, the fairgrounds had descended into chaos.

The emergency sirens blared to life, warning of danger. Fearing for their lives, the people began to flee in panic.

Ozpin reacted faster than Ironwood, "You brought your army to my kingdom, James. Use it."

Needing no further directive, Ironwood gazed resolutely into the chaos and began to command his forces. "All forces, this is General Ironwood. Converge on my location immediately. We have civilians under attack. Our primary objective is to evacuate all civilians and secure a perimeter. Move!" Ironwood grimaced as he watched another innocent get cut down. "All forces, you are cleared to use lethal force. Fire at will," he added.

The Atlas forces responded quickly. Every spare airship in Vale immediately began heading for the Gate, while those already on site began releasing their cargo. Hundreds of Atlesian Knights fell like metal meteors. Upon landing, they immediately opened fire, their rifles spitting metal that cut straight through the invaders' armor.

"Sir, the hostiles appear human but do not seem to have an aura," a technician reported.

Ironwood nodded to himself. While it was strange, it was good for them. The Knights were easily pushing back, drawing the invaders' attention while the civilians escaped.

"We're also seeing some strange kinds of faunus. Actually, they may not even be faunus at all. It's like nothing I've ever seen."

"Sir, should we bombard the Gate? Destroying it will end this assault."

"I'd recommend against that, Sir," another technician quickly added, "The Gate appears unstable. Destroying it could result in destructive backlash."

"Then we will not destroy it. All forces, take caution not to damage the Gate," Ironwood decided, "Hyperion weapons, you're clear to commence aerial bombardment, but ensure that there are zero friendly casualties. Zero."

"Yes, Sir!" the technician replied, forwarding the general's orders to the weaponmaster. Soon, the Hyperion's mighty guns thrummed to life, firing precise bolts of dust where the enemy was most clustered. As ordered, they kept the attack far from any friendly units or civilians.

"Huntsmen have arrived on the scene, General. Headmaster Ozpin himself is coordinating ground operations. The enemy is in full retreat," a technician reported.

Ironwood nodded in satisfaction. Watching the mysterious force retreat, he gave one more order, "All forces, capture as many as possible, but only if it is safe to do so." Looking grimly over the battlefield, which was a bustling fairground just minutes ago, James muttered under his breath, "Your move."

* * *

The soldiers had been in high spirits. A whole new land to conquer and pillage awaited them through the Gate. They had charged through, confident of overwhelming victory.

It had seemed that way at first. The Gate released them in a bustling marketplace, where dozens of people were gathered. The first wave charged out, baring their blades. With bloodthirsty cries, they struck down their foe. All the women and the exotic loot belonged to them, the victors.

And then he had arrived. An older man, with a messy mop of feathery black hair and crimson eyes. He wore a wrinkled gray dress shirt, collar folded down, and black dress pants and shoes beneath. A slight stubble shadowed his chin and sideburns, and he wore cheap rings on several of his fingers. His last defining detail was a tattered red cape around his neck that trailed down to his lower back.

The men took him for a drunkard at first. Laughing, they taunted and mocked him. All the while, he seemed to be yelling at them in some unknown language.

Then from behind his back, he drew forth a broadsword. That got the soldiers' attention. One strode forward, his steps full of swagger as he boasted of cutting this man down in a single strike.

Well, someone got cut down in a single strike.

The soldiers watched in horror and shock as their comrade collapsed in two pieces. The man's weapon had cut cleanly through the armor like it wasn't there. Gulping, they readied their blades.

"For the Empire!" one yelled, and the group charged forth to attack the mysterious man. It was a mistake.

Moving faster than thought possible, the man slew them all. Blades, shields, armor, bone, nothing could resist that blade. Standing among the bodies of his slain foes, the drunken man looked over with a dangerous glint within his eyes.

The other soldiers hesitated. "Apostle," one concluded, sending shivers of fear among the army. If this man was one of the immortal apostles, they were in trouble.

"Stand strong!" a rallying cry sounded out, "We will show them our might! For the Empire! Charge!"

A roar followed the command, more soldiers surging forth. The man spun and slashed, slaying all who approached, but there were too many soldiers for him. They flooded into the surrounding area, slaughtering and pillaging.

Overhead, a roar of some unknown being drew their attention. Looking up, the soldiers gasped in shock. Great flying ships passed overhead, metal glinting off the sun. They opened up their cargo holds, sending men falling out. The soldiers laughed at that, unable to believe their eyes. Did their enemy just send their forces to their death? Surely, no man could survive such a long fall.

The Atlesian Knights landed safely, the fall barely affecting them. The hundreds of them immediately locked on to the soldiers, ready to open fire.

Getting over their initial shock quickly, the soldiers quickly formed up, ready to attack. They held up a wall of shields, with spears pointing out in a defensive tortoise formation. As one, they marched toward their metal foes.

The Knights opened fire, the bullets ripping straight through the primitive shields and armor. Firing methodically, with pinpoint accuracy, the Knights cut down all opposition. Even the tough skin of the orcs was nothing to the invisible arrows that suddenly filled the air.

"What sort of magic is this?" a terrified soldier cried out, watching his allies get cut down.

"Hold fast, men!" a commander yelled, rallying his forces, "Our enemy is few. Strike them down! For the Empire!"

It was the hundred metal men against the thousands of the mighty Empire's soldiers. The soldiers roared their agreement, charging straight for their metal opponents. More reinforcements poured out of the Gate, adding to their numbers.

Archers lined up and fired, filling the air with arrows. They rained down upon the Knights, only to bounce harmlessly off their armored bodies. Only a few arrows, luckily enough to hit vulnerable joints, did any sort of damage.

The commander nodded in satisfaction, then looked once more to the sky. More of those flying ships were on the way, no doubt carrying reinforcements for the enemy. They had to destroyed.

"Wyvern riders, attack! Bring down those ships!" the commander ordered. In response, the wyvern riders, armed with spears, soared out of the Gate and into the sky. They darted towards the Atlesian airships, their mounts screeching.

The mounted gatling guns on the warships whirred to life, filling the sky with deadly fire. The unarmored wyvern riders stood no chance, the bullets tearing through them. Some managed to fling their spears, only for them to bounce harmlessly off the reinforced metal and glass of the warships. The wyvern riders fell like flies, and the Atlesian army reclaimed the skies.

With air superiority confirmed, the warships turned their gatling guns landward, spraying the invading army with bullets. They cut down entire swathes of soldiers, holding back the seemingly endless army while releasing more Knights to support their ground forces. The Hyperion added its considerable firepower to the bombardment, its heavy dust cannons blowing large groups of invaders apart.

Against such heavy fire, the army's morale was crumbling. The final straw was when the Huntsmen arrived.

Professor Goodwitch strode through the battle, casually tossing anyone that came at her aside with her telekinesis. She leveled her crop at the gathered army. As they let loose another wave of arrows, they began to glow purple as they soared through the air. With a flick of her wrist, Glynda sent the arrows flying back, raining them upon her foes.

Doctor Oobleck, Professor Port, Specialist Winter, and numerous other Huntsmen joined her in battle, each capable of battling hundreds of the invaders. Ice, fire and all kinds of dust were liberally unleashed, the Huntsmen effortlessly turning the tide.

"Are they all apostles?! Mages?! Demons?!"

"This must be the wrath of the gods!"

"Retreat! Retreat!"

Enemy morale had completely crumbled. Their formation was staggered as confusion raged through their ranks. The front line was trying to desperately escape the slaughter they faced and the backline was trying to cross through the gate, unaware of what terrors existed on this side of the Gate.

With the enemy in full retreat, Ironwood gave his new orders: to capture if possible. The Knights immediately swapped to rubber bullets that were non-lethal but would stun anyone hit long enough for them to be detained.

Ozpin, the temporary ground commander, saw fit to do the same. The Huntsmen under his command switched to less-lethal methods of attack. Glynda simply used her telekinesis to lift the soldiers into the air until the Atlesian forces could arrive with proper equipment to detain them. Her glyphs propelling her to incredible speeds, Winter darted among the fleeing soldiers and froze them in place. Oobleck simply smashed them on the head with a club. The incapacitated soldiers were then disarmed, handcuffed and led away by Ironwood's Knights.

While most of the main body of the army was captured, smaller groups had scattered in the chaos, which would take a while to hunt down.

From the Hyperion overhead, General Ironwood watched the would-be invaders retreat. After the death of thousands of them, their corpses littered the streets of the city. It was clear that they had foolishly challenged a force far greater than themselves.

Now that the Gate had gone quiet, he was preparing for the future. Preliminary estimates put the number of prisoners in the thousands, and he had to find a suitable place to keep them. His flagship had a brig, but it could hold only about twenty. It was usually used for rowdy crew members, not containing an army. Furthermore, Roman was already there, and who knew what he would get up to with these strangers. Beacon Academy could handle the numbers, but Ozpin would never allow so many prisoners - and a corresponding number of his Knights and soldiers - so close to his students.

But perhaps more important was the Gate itself. The Knights had quarantined the area, clearing the fairgrounds of all civilians and students. His soldiers, Knights, Huntsmen and even a squad of the experimental Paladins were now clustered around the Gate, just in case another wave came.

But where did the Gate lead? What powered it? What were the faunus-like beings that his soldiers had captured? Questions kept piling up, but there were no answers to be found.

"Prepare the prisoners for interrogation," Ironwood ordered, "In the meantime, keep the Gate locked down. If so much as a rat comes through it, I want to know!"

Suddenly, the automated warning system sprang to life. In a monotonous voice, it warned, "Alert. Incoming Grimm Attack. Threat Level: Eight."

Then the Grimm attacked.

* * *

A/N: Yes, I named Ironwood's flagship after a particular Battlecruiser from Starcraft. It's a nice name. I like it.

How was the first chapter? I'll try to update once a week, but no guarantees. I have more exams coming up (hooray) and that'll definitely affect my writing schedule. Oh, and if this ever crosses into M (or any other rating) territory, do let me know.

All the best.

-Sav


	2. Chapter 2: Grimm

**Chapter 2: Grimm** (rewritten)

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Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: I present the rewritten chapter 2, hopefully better than before. Also, just as a reminder, there will be no JSDF.

* * *

"So, you think you guys are ready?" Ruby asked JNPR.

Nora answered energetically, "Of course! We've got a world-renowned fighter on our team, one's basically ninja, I can bench five of me…" she trailed off, not sure what to say for their leader. "Jaune," she said sheepishly. "We trained all year, our weapons are awesome, Glynda barely yells at us anymore, and uh... Jaune!" she finished brightly.

"Are you gonna take that?" Ren asked his slumped over friend.

Still feeling sick, Jaune didn't even look up as he moaned, "She's not wrong."

"I'm kidding, he knows I'm kidding." She began to talk more quickly, and she became noticeably more nervous as she went on. "Don't be so nervous! The worst that can happen is we lose, that is just a few more years of walking around school with everyone knowing we're failures, our friends will slowly abandon us to preserve their social status, we won't be able to show our faces in class, no one will sit with us in the cafeteria, Ren and I have no parents, we have no home left to go to, we'll be officially renamed Team Lose-iper!" She finished off with a bout of slightly insane laughter that morphed into a sob as she joined her leader slumped on the counter.

For his part, Ren gave a small smile and said, "So, yeah, we're feeling pretty good."

"Don't fret," Pyrrha said with a reassuring hand on her pink friend's shoulder. "If anything, we should be looking forward to a fight with actual guidelines and not, well… murderers."

"Yeah, don't sweat it," Yang agreed. "We've all faced way worse before."

Blake ticked the list off on her fingers as she said, "Let's see: Grimm invasions, violent extremists, a destructive sociopath…"

"And that's all while we were still in training!" Ruby said excitedly. "Oh, imagine what it would be like to graduate!"

"Maybe then I'll be able to pay for a meal," Weiss grumbled to herself.

Loudly crackling over the speakers scattered liberally around the fairgrounds, Professor Port's voice rang out as he called, "Would Team JNPR please report to the battlegrounds immediately!"

"Yes!" came the angry voice of Oobleck after him. "Like they were scheduled to, several minutes ago!"

"Well, it looks like this is it," Pyrrha said as JNPR stood and began to heavily make their way to the airship.

"Go get 'em!" Ruby cried after them.

Yang lounged back on her seat, stretching. She let out a distinctively unladylike burp and went on to ignore the looks her team gave her. Once JNPR was out of earshot, she asked, "Think they'll win?"

"Of course," Weiss confidently declared, "They've got Pyrrha. She's not called the Invincible Girl for no reason. She could probably win it alone."

"True. But what if their opponents were, say, the bulky type, like one of those second years. He could shrug off heavy damage," Yang pondered.

Blake replied with one word and a raised eyebrow. "Nora."

"Yeah, nothing's going to survive that."

The baring emergency siren cut the conversion short. As its screech cut through the air, the people around them began to flee hurriedly with whatever belongings they could take.

"Warning, Vale is under attack," a monotonous robotic voice announced through the speaker system. "This is not a drill. All civilians, please head to Beacon Academy in a calm and orderly fashion. Huntsmen, proceed immediately to the main entrance for a briefing by Headmaster Ozpin. Repeat, this is not a drill. All civilians, please head to Beacon Academy..." The message looped endlessly, broadcasting the emergency message to everyone.

Team RWBY looked at one another. "To Beacon," Ruby decided, hurrying off. Her team followed.

"What's happening?" Yang asked.

Her answer came into the form of shouting. The noodle stand and Beacon were on opposite ends of the fairgrounds. To get to the safe zone, they would have to cross the heart of the fairgrounds - right where the mysterious Gate had opened up.

RWBY slowed to a stop as they took on the sight before them. Fires burned freely, pumping black smoke into the air. Massive numbers of soldiers in unknown armor spread out from the Gate, looting and burning all in their way. And worst...

Ruby gasped, covering her mouth as she watched a man get impaled on a spear. He collapsed, blood spurting freely as the soldier tore his weapon out. Laughing cruelly, the soldiers kicked the dying man for good measure, before turning their leering gazes onto a woman, who was crying.

Ruby pulled out her scroll, entering a familiar command into it.

"Ruby? What're you doing?" her sister cautiously asked.

"I'm not letting anyone else die," she replied, staring at the horror taking place in front of her. The soldiers were laughing as they ganged up on the defenseless woman, kicking her as she lay prone. She would not stand for this. With a roar of flame, her locker landed beside her. Retrieving Crescent Rose, Ruby noted grimly that its arrival had drawn the soldiers' attention. Good.

"We're not trained for this, Ruby," Weiss warned, "The Atlesian forces are on their way. Let them handle this."

"And by then it would be too late. We're the ones closest, who can make a difference," Ruby argued. Her gaze was focused resolutely on the squad of soldiers, who were forming up and preparing to approach. Let them come.

"Then we're with you," Blake said. Three more rocket lockers landed, holding Myrtenaster, Gambol Shroud and Ember Celica. Weiss, Blake, and Yang retrieved their respective weapons, moving to stand with their leader.

With a grim smile, Ruby charged forward, knowing that her team would have her back. Dashing forth with her semblance, Ruby reached the soldiers first, Crescent Rose slashing in a huge arc.

She expected it to send her foes flying, maybe even break their aura. She definitely did not expect her scythe to cleave straight through their armor, cutting them cleanly into half. Blood spurted, and Ruby took a trembling step back and collapsed onto her knees. Crescent Rose, now bloody, almost fell from her numb fingers.

I killed them.

"Ruby! What's wrong?" Yang demanded, coming in beside her. The soldiers were muttering amongst themselves, suddenly frightened.

Before Ruby could gather her wits to reply, the soldiers rallied and charged forth. With a deafening warcry, the army bore down on team RWBY.

Weiss reacted first, stabbing Myrtenaster into the ground. A ring of black glyphs appeared around them, slowing the soldiers as they came. They were easy targets for Yang, who began swinging her fists with abandon.

To her surprise, blood spurted as her fist smashed into a face.

"They have no aura?!" she exclaimed in shock, falling back. Blake helped Ruby up, and the four huddled together, back-to-back. Weiss' glyphs bought them time, but it was running out. The team looked at Ruby.

"I... killed them. We can't just kill them."

"But they want to kill us," Blake pointed out, "Unless we can think of something, there may not be much of a choice." While she didn't relish the thought of having to slaughter her way out of the mess, her time with the White Fang had taught her that there would be casualties in war. The fairgrounds were aflame. Smoke hung heavily in the air, almost blotting out the sun. This was war. In all its glory, and all its horror.

"Fine!" Ruby cried out, frustrated. With the soldiers almost in stabbing range, she decided, "We're fighting our way out. Take as many down as we can. Buy time for the Huntsmen to arrive. And just... just try not to kill anyone."

I wouldn't know what to do if we did.

The rest of the team nodded their confirmation. As Weiss' glyphs vanished, team RWBY attacked.

As per their leader's orders, the team of Huntressess-in-training held back. Instead of indiscriminately swinging her deadly scythe, Ruby burst into a tornado of rose petals, sweeping the soldiers off their feet. With her speed, Ruby almost flew through the army, which was growing by the minute, sending them into chaos while being next to untouchable. She was moving too fast for the soldiers to aim at, and any sword or shield placed preemptively in her path was either knocked away or avoided completely by turning at impossible angles.

Weiss stayed where she was, drawing out the full power of Myrtenaster and her dust. In a display fitting her nickname, the Ice Queen sent forth a tidal wave of ice. Spreading out with herself at the epicenter, the dust-based ice burst outwards in a circle. It froze the ground and anything touching it, immobilizing the dozens of soldiers surrounding her. They struggled, but the ice was solid and unyielding. The impressive display took a lot out of Weiss, however, and Weiss took a deep breath to recover.

As the frozen soldiers struggled to free themselves, Blake was there, using Gambol Shroud's blunt edge to knock them out. Her time in the White Fang had given her the knowledge of how to render her opponents unconscious, and she made full use of that. Try as they might to defend themselves, Blake easily avoided the soldiers' weapons and struck them soundly on the head, sending them collapsing limply. One of them landed heavily on his tailbone, and Blake winced.

Yang had leaped up, bringing herself high into the air and over a large group of soldiers. Grinning, she came down hard, slamming her fist into the ground. The sheer impact forced a ripple through the solid rock, sending the soldiers flying off their feet. Even as they recovered, Yang was there, fists swinging. As ordered, she pulled her punches, while keeping Ember Celica in their offline bracelet form. Enhanced by her strength and aura, Yang's punches nevertheless dented armor, sending men sprawling.

A cry rang through the air, and Blake turned to see Weiss flying through the air. Quickly, she leaped over, catching her teammate as she fell. Placing Weiss on the ground, Blake asked, "You OK?"

Weiss nodded, struggling to her feet. "I'm fine," she reassured. At Blake's disbelieving look, Weiss pointed behind her, in the direction from which she flew, "Go deal with that."

A deafening roar came from behind her, and Blake turned to see a huge beast bearing down on her. The green-skinned ogre was three times her size, wielding a wooden club larger than her. It charged at her with speed surprising for its size, bowling soldiers out of the way.

"Catch your breath," Blake told her teammate and dashed off to face the ogre. It roared as she neared, swinging its club. Balke easily jumped over the clumsy attack and landed on its arm. Swinging Gambol Shroud as she ran up the arm, Blake cut deeply into its arm, forcing it to drop the club and drawing forth a roar of pain. Leaping up, Blake prepared to cleave down on her foe, only for a gigantic, meaty fist to close around her from behind. With its uninjured arm, the ogre took hold of her and threw her to the ground.

The faunus cried out in pain, her head spinning and her ears ringing from the impact. Through dazed eyes, she saw the ogre moving to stomp down on her. Immediately, she leaped back, leaving only a shadow clone to be destroyed.

Looking around, Blake suddenly saw that she was almost directly beside the Gate. The stone structure towered over her, releasing ever more soldiers that began to swarm around her.

Footsteps came from behind her and she spun, Gambol Shroud moving to block the sword that sought her blood. Blake disarmed the soldier with a twist of her wrist, then slammed her weapon's flat edge to knock him out. Another quickly replaced him, and Blake was forced to concentrate on the battle as soldiers began attacking her from all directions.

Moving much faster than the soldiers ever could, Blake fended off their attacks. It was not as difficult as she had expected, due to the quality of their weapons. Gambol Shroud cut straight through the swords of her enemies, sometimes shattering them outright. Just who were these people, invading a world that so greatly outmatched them?

Out of the blue, a bolt of lightning struck her, disrupting her concentration. Lightning, on a clear day? It must have been a semblance from one of the enemy soldiers. Whatever it was, it stunned Blake and weakened her aura.

Ears ringing, Blake saw the blade slashing at her and barely managed to retreat, only for her heel to snag onto something. And, for the first time in years, Blake tripped. She had always had nearly perfect footwork - for her to trip, even when she was stunned, could only be the result of really bad luck.

Regardless of the reason, Blake tripped and fell onto her back, the breath knocked out of her. Her head slamming onto the hard floor didn't help with the headache that now threatened to burst out. Surprisingly, through blurred vision, she could see no soldier nearby. The reason became clear a moment later when a wooden club slammed onto her. Blake cried out, her aura finally breaking.

Forcing away the grogginess, Blake tried to push herself up, aware that she was still deep in hostile territory. Something metal struck her head before she could, and the world faded to black.

A moment later, the signal for retreat was sounded. Dragging their prizes along, the soldiers returned to their own world.

* * *

No one knew just where the Grimm came from. All they knew was that they were attracted to negative emotions. And a war... a war created just about the most concentrated, powerful negative emotions possible, even as one-sided as it was.

The Grimm flocked to Vale.

A flock of Nevermores and Griffins filled the skies, heading straight for the Gate, where the most concentrated emotions were. Around Vale, the border defenses went fully online, the guns opening up against a tide of Grimm. Despite lacking much of their numbers due to Ironwood's call to arms, the defenses held up.

But the fairgrounds were at the edge of the forest of Forever Fall. Said forest was allowed to populate with Grimm, to be used as a training area for the students. And it was these Grimm that suddenly posed a very real threat to Vale.

Luckily, the squads of Knights were still at combat readiness. They immediately turned to face the new threat, firing with deadly accuracy. The first of the Grimm to reach them - the wolf-like Beowolves and the rolling Boarbatusks - were cut down by the walls of iron Knights.

The slower Grimm soon followed. The bear-like Ursas, the two-headed King Taijitus, and the flying Nevermores launched their attack, a terrifying wall of shadowy creatures intent on utter destruction.

On his flagship, general Ironwood looked impassively at the new threat. A war had just been fought, and it was no surprise to him that it would attract large numbers of Grimm. "Air forces, focus on the Grimm," Ironwood ordered, "Gate containment units, do not engage. All other forces, prepare to repel the Grimm. Protect the city!"

Somewhere below, Ozpin was too commanding his forces, "This is what you've been trained for, Hunters! Do not let these Grimm take our city!"

The Hunters entered the fray, bringing the Grimm charge to a dead halt. The two forces clashed, yet another battle in the eternal war of light against dark. Experienced in such combat, the Huntsmen held the line.

The squads of soldiers that hid in the forest, however, fared poorly. Left behind by the main army in their rush to escape, these scattered groups had to fend for themselves. A Boartabusk rolled through, sending fully armored men flying aside. As they turned to track the boar-like creature, howls sounded from around them. The Beowolves lunged, tearing them apart.

Another group found themselves at the mercy of a King Taijitu. Looming over them, the white snakehead slammed down like a force of nature. Turning to flee, the soldiers found their path cut off by a thick black body, which screeched, revealing it to be the other half of the massive serpent Grimm.

By the time the Atlesian army and the Huntsmen arrived to secure the area, all they found were body parts and bloodied, torn armor.

* * *

A/N: Thrown by ogre + struck by lightning + Qrow's semblance + another ogre + kick to the head. If that doesn't break Blake's aura, I don't know what will.

Next week, I'll upload the partially rewritten chapter 3, and chapter 4 if I can finish it.


	3. Chapter 3: Counterattack

**Chapter 3: Counterattack** (rewritten)

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: Partially rewritten this chapter to reflect the changes in the previous one.

* * *

"The Grimm have mostly been killed. The stragglers are being hunted down."

"Good work," General Ironwood commented, "Casualties?"

"No human fatalities, sir, but we've got plenty of injured troops. None life-threatening. Several Huntsmen are also injured. All are receiving treatment."

"Two Paladins destroyed, the others are repairable. About 30% of the Knights fell to the Grimm, but the majority is still ready for service."

"Current civilian casualties unknown, sir, but many are safe within Beacon Academy. There were about a thousand people in the fairgrounds, sir, but only 900 are accounted for. Estimated 100 dead or missing."

Too many. "Send the Knights to sweep the area. Detain any enemies, kill all Grimm and locate survivors," Ironwood ordered. Then, he added, "I'm going to visit the prisoners. Let's see what information we can get out of them."

* * *

"So, what have you found out from the prisoners, James?" Ozpin asked. He was in his office, the general's figure projected into the air in front of him. The prisoners, a few hundred of them, had been disarmed and contained within a temporary prison on the outskirts of the Emerald Forest. A good portion of the Atlas forces, as well as many Huntsmen, patrolled it, both to prevent escape attempts and to kill any Grimm that was drawn in by the prisoners' negativity.

Ironwood sighed, "Not much, I'm afraid. They speak a completely foreign language. My linguists are working on transcribing it, but I'm afraid that my best one is missing. It would be quite some time before we can get anything."

"I see," Ozpin replied. To him, that confirmed that the Gate, whatever it was, seemed to be a pathway to a different world altogether. "And this Gate, what have you found out about it?"

"Nothing."

The blunt answer took Ozpin by surprise, "Excuse me?"

"We know nothing about this Gate," Ironwood repeated, "Our most detailed scans reveal nothing. It has no identifiable power source. It has no machinery. It's solid rock. We have no idea how it got here, or what's sustaining it. I think it's time we took a look on the other side."

"You want to send troops beyond the Gate?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Ozpin. There's an entire world out there. And judging by the reactions of their soldiers to Grimm, its safe to say that they've never seen them. A world without Grimm, Ozpin. We can't just let this opportunity slip by," Ironwood declared.

Ozpin took a moment to consider that. Before he could reply, a voice came from behind Ironwood, "Sir, activity at the Gate. More soldiers are coming out."

"We'll talk later," Ironwood said, cutting off the transmission.

* * *

The second attempt at invading Vale failed and failed spectacularly. The invaders had poured through the Gate, screaming in their unknown language. They were met with hails of bullets and dust, completely annihilating anything that moved.

Within minutes of the beginning of the second attempt, the Gate was quiet and surrounded by corpses.

"Get the cleanup crews here immediately," General Ironwood ordered, "Once that's done, send a squad of Knights through."

"Sir? Through the Gate?"

"Until we secure the other side, there's no telling what our enemy is up to," Ironwood said. There was no time to wait for the prisoners' interrogation to be complete, or to get Ozpin's support. "We must act quickly to prevent any further assault and loss of life. Prepare to send the droids through, then personnel once it is safe."

"Yes, sir!"

The cleanup crew was fast. Less than an hour later, the group had removed the hundreds of bodies from the warzone. They would be cataloged, before being buried in a mass grave. The crew had also sanitized the area, leaving no trace of the massacre that had happened earlier.

The squads of Knights gathered outside the Gate, awaiting the command to move in. Some had been specially modified. In the short time available, engineers had attached various data collectors on several of the Knights, as well as more powerful radios.

The order was given, and the mechanical soldiers marched fearlessly into a new world.

They arrived through the Gate without issue, appearing on a hill. Their presence was unwanted, apparently, for hostile soldiers immediately set upon them with rusty swords and spears. The primitive weapons did mostly cosmetic damage - unless they struck vital components - while the Knights mowed them down with a few rounds.

"Hostiles eliminated. Area secure," the leading Knight reported back to the General, who was still back on Remnant, on the other side of the Gate. They then spread out, scanning the area.

"All systems functioning perfectly, sir," a technician added.

"Good. Send in more Knights and begin constructing fortifications. Gets Paladins through as soon as possible," Ironwood ordered.

"Sir? Are we expecting trouble?"

Ironwood glared at the soldier who spoke out, "We just destroyed their army and walked into their home. Yes, I expect trouble. Move!"

"Sir!"

* * *

"Ruby?"

The subject in question looked up from her bed to see the blonde man enter team RWBY's dorm. He was wearing brown cargo shorts and a brown leather vest over a tan dress shirt, with the right sleeve cut off.

Ruby recognized him immediately. "Dad?" she asked, wiping her eyes. Without waiting for a reply, she darted over and enveloped him in a crushing hug.

Taiyang Xiao Long, having raised the energetic girl, was used to such acts and managed to brace himself. Nevertheless, he could feel that something was wrong. For one, the room felt strangely empty. "Where's the rest of your team?" he asked, setting Ruby down.

"Weiss is with her sister, Yang's in the gym. Blake, she..." Ruby's voice hitched. "Blake," she finished sadly.

His daughter's tone set off warning bells in his head. Cautiously, Tai asked, "What happened?"

"We... we were at the fairgrounds, then that Gate appeared. To get to Beacon, we had to go through them. We could have just ran past. But... but I tried to be the hero. I told the team to fight, to buy time for General Ironwood's guys to come. It was my fault, dad! All my fault..."

"No," a new voice denied. Tai and Ruby turned to see Weiss at the door, a stern expression on her face. It was obvious that she had heard everything. "You did not force us to fight. Me, Blake and Yang chose to follow you, Ruby. This is not on you."

"Wait, what happened, exactly?" Tai asked, still confused.

"She didn't tell you?" Weiss asked. Before Tai could answer, she continued, "No matter. Blake went missing during the fight. We believe that she was taken through the Gate, and Ruby's uncle Qrow confirmed it."

Tai's first thought was 'Qrow was there?' Before he could articulate it, Ruby blurted out, "I got Blake captured, dad!"

"Nope," Tai denied. Without allowing time for Ruby to refute it, he continued, "You did exactly as a Huntress would, Ruby. You recognized a threat, you took action, and you did the very best you could."

"It wasn't good enough! People still died, and Blake got taken. We should have just run."

"You can't save everyone, Ruby. Besides, the actions of your team saved numerous people. You brought them time to get to safety. You knew the risks of going in, and so did the others," Tai reassured her, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"But Blake..."

Weiss cut in sharply, "Wouldn't have changed a thing. Even if she knew that she would get captured, but could save who knows how many others, she would have charged in anyway."

"How can you be so calm, Weiss? Our teammate is missing!" Ruby cried out.

"I am calm because I know that she can survive," Weiss replied, "Blake will escape her captors. She will get to safety. It is our task to find her."

"Weiss is right. Don't dwell on the past. Look forward, and you'll get Blake back in no time," Tai added.

Ruby nodded, silver eyes now filled with determination instead of tears. Now with a goal for the future, the young leader seemed much more focused. "Yeah," she decided, "Get Blake back. But how can we get Ozpin to allow us through?"

"Don't worry about that, Ruby. I'll talk to him myself," Tai said.

"You're coming with us?"

"Of course. There's no way I'm just letting my daughters wander an unknown world without supervision!" Tai declared.

Ruby finally smiled. "Thanks, dad," she said. Then the smile slipped. "Yang, she didn't take it well either."

"I'd thought not. Don't worry, I'll go knock some sense into that thick skull of hers. Now, where's the gym?"

* * *

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The blows caused the punching bags to shudder and shake, despite being filled with sand. Growling, Yang kept at it, repeatedly slamming her fists into the bag. Her hair glowed brightly, illuminating the otherwise empty gym. Her crimson eyes burned with deadly intensity.

"Yang."

Her hair spluttered out as the unexpected voice reached her ears. Spinning, her gaze landed on Taiyang immediately.

"Dad?" she asked, incredulous, "What are you doing here?"

Tai shrugged, walking to join his daughter, "Ozpin called in every active Hunter in the kingdom and even encouraged many to come out of retirement, all to gather at Beacon. Whatever's going on, it's big."

That was the wrong thing to say, apparently, because Yang turned back to the punching bag and sent a violent blow into it, nearly tearing the thing off its hinges.

"Blake will be fine," Tai assured.

"You don't know that!" Yang shouted, resuming her barrage on the bag with vigor. A spinning kick threatened to knock it straight off its hook. "I'm going to get her back! But those stupid. Atlesian. Guys. Won't. Let. Me!" Yang punctuated her words with punches that dented the bag.

"Not in that state. You can't even land a good punch," Tai said, stepped over to place a calming hand on his daughter's shoulder. Fired up, Yang instinctively spun, fist flying for Tai's face.

The blow never landed, Tai expertly catching her fist with his palm. Nevertheless, Yang looked mortified, stepping back in shock as her eyes reverted to lilac. "I'm so sorry!"

Tai shook his head. "Don't be," he said, "You have every right to be mad. Those guys did kidnap your partner. But you can't let that anger consume you."

The very mention of Blake brought Yang's rage flaring up again. "I'm not going to just sit around!"

"And I'm not asking you to. But before you go charging head-first into another world, you must calm down," Tai replied. Seeing how Yang's hair still shimmered with flame, he got into a fighting stance facing her and invited, "Come on, then. Let's spar."

Yang frowned at the unexpected offer. "Why?"

"You're still mad. A good match ought to get some of it out of your system."

Yang smirked, getting into a mirror of her father's stance, "I won't go easy on you."

The two leaped into action. Yang immediately took the offensive, launching a series of powerful punches. Tai blocked them with no issue, though each blow slowly pushed him back. Yang then lashed out with a kick, which Tai managed to deflect while taking the offensive.

Yang held her hands at the ready, batting away her father's punches before she spun around and launched a wide kick at him. Taiyang stretched back, his feet in a wide lunge as he leaned back and avoided her foot's arc before he came back in with a quick but forceful punch. Yang crossed her arms in a block, catching the fist even as it forced her back a few feet in a slide.

Tai suddenly mimicked Yang's move with a kick of his own. Yang blocked the spinning leg with her crossed arms, then thrust them out. Tai used the momentum to flip in the air, but even as his feet hit the ground, Yang was on him, unleashing a powerful blow with a mighty cry.

Now Tai slid back, absorbing the blow. "Not bad," he commented, "But you're still distracted."

"Of course I'm distracted! My partner's gone!" Yang shouted, charging forth once more. Those red eyes burned once more as she threw all her strength into a single punch.

Tai dodged it effortlessly. While she was off-balance, he countered with a few quick jabs, sending Yang stumbling. "You can't afford to be distracted, Yang. Not now."

"What do you know?" Yang growled. Recovering, she lashed out again, fists seeking to strike down her opponent. Blinded by rage, her attacks became predictable, allowing Tai to prepare and block each strike. "Your partner was never taken from you!"

Wrong thing to say. Suddenly on the attack, Tai pushed past her guard, sending a heavy strike that sent Yang stumbling back once again. "I don't know?" he challenged, "Have you forgotten already?"

"I -"

Tai cut his daughter off with a flurry of strikes, forcing her to dedicate her full concentration to blocking. Landing a particularly hard strike that sent Yang skidding back, Tai strode after her, continuing, "Raven left. My partner, my wife, left me!"

"She -"

Again, Yang broke off, forced to bring her arms up to prevent the fist from slamming into her head. "Summer helped me recover. She was perfect for me. And fate took her too!"

"I'm -"

"I let my losses destroy my life, Yang," Tai spoke straight over her, in a softer, regretful tone - a vast difference from his anger just moments ago. Yang blinked, trying to clear the tears that suddenly threatened to form. Another punch sought her out; she barely managed to deflect it. "I will not let you do the same," he growled, sweeping Yang's feet out from under her. She was taken completely by surprise. Her balance lost, she fell backwards, bracing for the impact with the ground.

It never came. Tai stopped her fall, his calloused hands clamping over hers. With a grim smile, he finished, "You're stronger than your anger, Yang. Don't let it control you."

He let go, but Yang had recovered. She found her balance quickly, standing to face her father. "Thanks, old man. But I'm getting Blake back."

"Don't call me that," Tai responded almost automatically, then grinned, "I know. Your sister pretty much said the same thing. And I'm coming with you."

"Well then, I hope you can keep up, old man," Yang teased.

"May I remind you that I just kicked your ass?" Tai pointed out.

Yang laughed. Then she realized, "You know, this feels a lot like when I got Blake to stop stressing herself out about the White Fang a couple of weeks ago. Thanks, dad."

Tai waved it away. "I've not been a very good father for you, Yang. It's about time I started."

"Yeah, about that," Yang winced, "Sorry for-"

"It's fine," Tai cut her off. Before she could press the issue, he continued, "Go take a shower, then find Ruby. She could do with her sister nearby."

Tai internally congratulated himself as he watched Yang leave. He had brought both his daughters back on track in a day. That definitely called for a celebration. Then he sighed. He still had to actually talk to Ozpin about actually going through the Gate. Where was his office again? And where was Qrow?

* * *

An emergency meeting was called in the Empire's capital days after the attack. Opening the discussions was the main speaker. "Your Majesty, forgive my rudeness, but it seems that there has been a grave error - the loss of a sixth of our Empire's total fighting strength. How do you intend to compensate for this unprecedented disaster? Your Majesty, just how does the Emperor intend to lead this country?"

As a senator as well as a noble, Marquis Casel did not mince his words as he addressed Emperor Molt Sol Augustus, who was sitting on the throne.

Adjusting himself on his throne, Emperor Molt, spoke with an almost bored tone," Marquis Garcel, I share your concerns. I, too, spend sleepless nights, worried about foreign lords rising against us as one. Yet in each time of crisis, have we not pulled together and struggled through? Such as during the Artec War two-hundred and fifty years ago. Do not accuse me of failing to be invincible, or would you be one to play the court day after day until the enemy has come all the way to our front door?"

The other members present chose to take this chance to voice their concerns.

"But it's been two days since the enemy counterattack! Our expeditionary force was destroyed and the gate has been seized!"

"The enemy used invisible magic arrows. Our soldiers were completely annihilated! I have never seen such terrifying magic!"

"And they had the service of Apostles! Many of them!"

"Then fight! If our forces are insufficient then we can just gather more troops from our vassal states!"

The bickering continued for some time, steadily degrading as insults flew. The meeting was on the verge of turning into a brawl when the Emperor slowly stood from his throne, having had enough. The chatter died, and all present listened to what Molt had to say.

"We cannot remain idle at this point! That leaves us no choice but to fight! Send envoys to request reinforcements from our vassals! In order to combat these invaders from another world seeking to conquer our continent, we will muster the full might of the Army of Unified Kingdoms and recapture Alnus Hill!" Molt declared. The military leaders cheered.

* * *

A/N: Watch out, Falmart, Taiyang 'steal-your-girl' Xiao Long is here!

Chapter 4 in a few hours.


	4. Chapter 4: A New World

**Chapter 4: A new world**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: I have said nothing about Tai being Remnant's Itami. But now that I think about it... I'm not denying that it may be amusing to see.

* * *

"Breaking news: a mysterious Gate had recently appeared in the fairgrounds of the Vytal Festival," the news anchor, Lisa Lavender reported, "According to reports from Headmaster Ozpin and General Ironwood, an unknown army poured forth and began attacking civilians unprovoked. Luckily, the Atlesian army and Huntsman were quickly on the scene to stop them, as well as the following Grimm attack. However, there are a confirmed 57 dead and hundreds injured, and over one hundred still missing, making it the deadliest tragedy Vale has seen since Mountain Glenn. The questions remain: Just what is this Gate? Where does it lead? Who are terse invaders? Some have started using the word 'magic', but the Headmasters have yet to comment on the matter. The General has reported that he has taken prisoners and plans to interrogate them soon. Perhaps then some of our questions can be answered."

* * *

"One week." The words were spoken calmly.

The person they were spoken to did not reply in kind. "One week?!" Tai almost exploded, "You mean that we have to wait an entire week before this rescue mission? Blake could be dead in one week!"

Headmaster Ozpin returned his gaze stoically. Years of running Beacon Academy had conditioned him to be practically immune to such outbursts. Keeping his tone level, he confirmed, "Miss Belladonna is a huntress-in-training, Mr. Xiao Long. She has all the training she needs to survive."

"That's not the point. Why must we wait? What's stopping us from just marching through and finding her?" Tai demanded.

"Ironwood has already sent forces through. We're securing an advance position on the-"

Tai cut him off, "Then what's the problem? Just let us through and we'll be on our way. My daughters are worried sick, you know."

"Another army."

Tai blinked. "What?"

"The advance forces have spotted another hostile army marching towards their encampment," Ozpin revealed, "This one numbers around a hundred thousand. Until we can talk them down or defeat them in combat, no one is leaving, for any reason. It is simply too dangerous."

"Oh," Tai quietened at the grim news. "That's why you called in everyone?"

Ozpin nodded solemnly. "Yes. That's why I called in every available Huntsman. That's why Atlas is sending reinforcements, and so are Mistral and Vacuo."

"That bad? Sorry for yelling at you."

Ozpin waved away the apology, "I understand your concerns, Tai, but I hope you understand my caution."

"Yeah. But such a large mobilization will not go unnoticed. The citizens will want to know why."

Ozpin smiled enigmatically, "Leave that to me. In the meantime, take this week to prepare. I'll get you a few other Hunters to accompany you and team RWBY to the other world."

"What?"

"In one week, bring RWBY to my office. I will brief you on whatever we find and send you some help, then you can go and find their missing member. With official support," Ozpin said.

That was a surprisingly good offer, given the circumstances. "Thanks, Ozpin."

* * *

It was a clear day when the Army of Unified Kingdoms approached the hill, ready to attack. In the Lords' tent, the army leaders sat around a map, talking less of strategy and more of their impending victory. Each of them wanted to be the first to charge up the hill to claim the honor of victory over these otherworldly invaders.

Only one man, King Duran of the Elbe Kingdom, felt ill at ease. Combing his white-streaked hair back, the old king tried to guess at what the Emperor was thinking when he had gathered this many troops from the Coalition to do battle with so few invaders.

Enemies of that number should have been easily taken care of with the Empire's own military power. There should have been no need to gather the armies of the Coalition, which meant that doing so was not a military move but a political one.

Did he intend to demonstrate his own might before the Coalition Army? However, if that was the case, he would only need to summon the kings before him instead. Such great fighting power would not be needed. There must be some reason why he wanted to assemble over 100,000 men. After all, feeding so many men was no trivial matter.

Perhaps he intended to use this huge force to attack some country, but since the Coalition Army had been raised with the intention of protecting the continent, there was no justification for using it as an army of conquest.

He shook his head to clear his doubt. The enemy looked to number 10,000 at most. With over 100,000 men, they outnumbered the enemy ten to one. Brute force alone would be enough to claim victory. It would be a great battle and an honorable victory.

* * *

It had been almost a week since he had come to the world known as Falmart. Overlooking the fortifications, on Alnus Hill, that his army had constructed within a short period of time, General Ironwood smiled proudly at their efficiency.

Around the Gate itself were layers of bunkers and automated turrets, acting as a final stronghold should the rest of the base be overwhelmed. The automatons would buy time for the human soldiers to flee, should an emergency retreat prove necessary; if the enemy managed to fight their way in.

But to do so, they would have to get through the rest of the base. Immediately around the innermost layer were the barracks and warehouses, where the soldiers and Atlesian Knights resided. Around the area were several airships parked on a temporary landing area. The living area also held canteens and other facilities needed for a long-term stay.

Because Ironwood intended to stay. Sure, Remnant was nice, and he was definitely proud of Atlas' progress in the past years. But it faces the same threat that plagues the rest of that world: the endless Grimm. Not only was Falmart clear of those dark creatures, but it also promised new resources, unpolluted nature, and a variety of biodiversity. Not to mention the rumors of magic he had heard from the prisoners. A few years ago he would have scoffed, but now that he knew of the maidens and their power, this had to be investigated, fully and thoroughly.

For now, only military forces and Huntsmen were on this side, but perhaps they would soon be able to construct permanent housing. Maybe even create a new kingdom.

Of course, they had to defend it against the locals, who would most certainly attempt to retake the hill. That was what the outermost layer of defenses was for. Knights patrolled the area, passing by stationed Paladins and wandering Huntsmen. Watchtowers with heavy armaments stood at regular intervals around the circular encampment. Around it all, a force field similar to those used in the Argus base was hidden, ready to activate at a moment's notice.

Yes, Ironwood was proud of what had been accomplished. Now, he was just a little worried about the campfires that had begun springing up around the base of the hill.

"General, our scouts have detected enemy forces massing around the foot of Alnus Hill. They are estimated to be around 100,000 in number," a soldier reported.

"That's the population of a city. All forces, move to standby positions," Ironwood ordered. In the base, soldiers scrambled to retrieve their weapons, while the Knights powered up and prepared for battle. The force field fence emerged from the ground, activating to form a translucent wall. Airships took to the skies, ready to support those on the ground. "Are the speakers ready?"

"Speakers up and running, General. The language has been uploaded onto the servers, so they'll understand your words," a technician reported.

"The army is beginning its approach, General. They're already in firing range and will reach the fence within half an hour."

Nodding his understanding, Ironwood pulled up the microphone and began to speak. His words were amplified by the speakers dotting the area around the hill, allowing the entire approaching army to hear his words.

"Attention, forces of the Empire. I am General Ironwood, leader of the Atlesian army. You are entering territory claimed by Atlas. Turn back immediately or we will open fire. I repeat, turn back immediately."

Though the soldiers were first spooked by the mysterious voice that filled the air, they kept marching up the hill, their doubt turning to confidence at hearing her words. Only a coward would try to scare them away, they reasoned, some of them even jeering at their foes' weakness.

"This is your final warning. Turn back immediately or you will be destroyed."

There was no response from the approaching army, save for their steady march up the hill.

Ironwood put the microphone away. "So be it," he spoke to himself. Louder, and with a heavy heart, he ordered, "All forces, engage. Fire at will."

For the ten thousand men sent up the hill, it was as though they fought against gods. They were met with a remorseless hail of bullets and missiles, tearing their formations apart. Each Paladin unleashed volleys of missiles, covering the mountain in explosions. The Knights shot down survivors with pinpoint accuracy. In the air, the airships opened up with their gatling guns, cutting down the wyvern riders before spraying the grounds beneath them.

The Huntsmen, standing at the force field wall, didn't have to raise a finger.

The battle, if it could be called that, was over within minutes, the survivors fleeing from the graveyard.

The army leaders could not believe what they were seeing. Ten thousand men wiped out in minutes by powerful explosive magic that shook the very earth. Swallowing their fear, their pride pushed them to order another forty thousand men up the hill. Employing a more defensive strategy, the army held their shields at the ready in their standard tortoise formation as they marched up the hill.

"You have seen our firepower. Turn around immediately, or face the full force of the Atlesian army."

The army leaders and their soldiers hesitated. After the massacre of the first wave, they were certainly worried. The threat was not an empty one. The smart move would have been to retreat. But arrogance prevented that. Shouting out to rally their forces, the leaders sent them marching up Alnus Hill, shields at the ready. The tougher ogres led the assault, meatshields for the rest of the army.

As promised, Ironwood unleashed the power of his forces. In addition to the rockets and bullets filling the air, liberal usage of dust created a localized hailstorm, battering the approaching army before they could get close.

Their army was ripped apart. After such devastating losses, many soldiers of the Coalition Army had already run away. They found that it was suicide to challenge these monsters from beyond the Gate.

However, it was not quite the same for the others who stayed to fight. Rallying what was left of their army for a final assault, the leaders decided to attack under the cover of night to surprise their enemy.

With night vision systems up and running perfectly, Ironwood sighed at the men once more attempting to attack his base. Grabbing for his microphone once more, he attempted to talk them down, "Empire forces, this is General Ironwood. We know where you are. Turn away or face annihilation. You have been warned."

Through the night vision camera pointed at the poorly disguised remains of the Empire's army, Ironwood gazed impassively at them, hoping that they would retreat. His forces had already killed almost 50,000 of them. Such a massive army destroyed in minutes. The media would have a field day with this - there was no way an invasion of such scale could be covered up. At least he did give them plenty of warning.

Ironwood looked at the Empire's soldiers squirming around, nervously awaiting their commander's decisions. He may as well help them decide.

"Launch a couple of flares over them," he ordered. A technician replayed his order, and soon a group of five flares was streaking through the air. They flew over where the army was hiding (or trying to), before activating. They flared out like suns, turning the night into day. The soldiers looked up in awe, the new light illuminating their faces.

"This is your final warning."

Ironwood smiled slightly as the army retreated quickly, their cover blown. One less needless battle. One less weapon the media could use against him.

Now to find out more about this new world.

* * *

The elevator doors opened, allowing Tai, Ruby, Weiss, and Yang to enter Ozipn's office. One week had passed, and they were more than ready to go through the Gate and find their missing member. The girls were also looking much better than before - rested and eager.

"Good morning, everyone," he greeted. "Please, take a seat," he invited. When the four were seated, Ozpin continued, "The rest of your team should be arriving soon."

As if on cue, the elevator doors dinged open once more, revealing a certain eccentric Profes- um, Doctor, dressed in a tan coat and a pith hat that covered his green hair.

"Why, hello again girls! It's great to see you in good shape. And Mr. Xiao Long, I've heard much about you," Doctor Oobleck commented in his rapid speech.

The girls' jaws dropped. "Professor Oobleck?"

"Doctor," he corrected them sternly, then explained, "The Headmaster has decided that my expert knowledge of history and culture would prove vital to the success of this mission, and I am inclined to agree!"

"Yes. Furthermore, your team has already worked with him before - on a mission to Mountain Glenn, if I'm not mistaken. Please have a seat, Doctor. We'll begin as soon as the last member shows up," Ozpin said.

Another ding, and the elevator doors began sliding open. "Please not Port, please not Port," Yang muttered, eyes on the door.

To her relief, it was not the rotund Professor Port who stepped out, but a beautiful woman with flame-red hair and a flowing dress of the same color.

"Who's this?" the students asked. She was definitely not a professor at Beacon, as none of them had ever seen her before.

"This is Vela Fauxen. She is a retired Huntress and co-owner of Fauxen Manufacturing," Ozpin introduced, "She was insistent on going through the Gate, and will be your leader in this mission. She once studied here, at Beacon and I believe her daughter is currently a second year."

"Retired?" Yang asked skeptically.

"I may be retired, but I can kick any of your asses any day," Vela retorted, stunning Yang into silence. Her voice carried pride and full confidence in her threat, which, judging by the staff slung over her back, was not an empty one.

Then Vela's eyes landed on the white-clad member of the team. "Weiss Schnee?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Have we met?" Weiss asked.

"My company has good trade relations with Schnee Dust. It would do no good for me not to recognize the heiress of the company," Vela replied, smirking, walking over and occupying the last empty seat.

"Oh," Weiss muttered.

"Now that the pleasantries have been concluded, let us begin," Ozpin took over the conversation. "As you know, the Gate appeared in Vale one week ago. An army poured forth, which was repelled. However, they have captured at least 40 of our citizens, including your teammate, and this cannot go unanswered. This will be your primary objective: Locate and rescue Blake and any other citizens of Vale, and bring them back safely. Your secondary objective is to find out as much about the world as possible."

"James has successfully translated the invaders' language, which we used to get some information from the prisoners we took. This is what we know. First, they come from a continent named Falmart on an unnamed world. They were part of the Saderan Empire, a single great fraction that dominates the continent. A map of what we know will be provided, which includes the location of their capital city of Sadera. We suspect this is where our citizens were taken. It should be a good starting point in your search." A holographic map appeared as he spoke, rendering a basic scan of the continent, as well as a red dot marking Sadera's location.

"As for demographics, the Empire is a human-dominated society. Some kind of faunus exist but are known collectively as demihumans. Unfortunately, these demihumans are heavily discriminated against. Slavery is rampant." Pictures of elves, wolf people, ogres, and goblins appeared to replace the map.

"We have established forward operations on the Falmart, on Alnus Hill. Should you find yourselves needing any kind of support, contact them for assistance."

"Any questions?"

"This language of theirs. Do we have the translation?" Vela asked.

Ozpin nodded, "Everything we know, including their language, will be sent to your scrolls. Keep in mind that it may not be fully accurate, but we'll update it as often as we can."

Clarification complete, Ozpin looked at the group expectantly, but they didn't speak.

"No more questions? Good. For the duration of your mission, you shall be FORT (fourth) recon. Now, get whatever personal belongings you need and head over. James will provide you with a vehicle, dust, and rations."

"Thank you, Ozpin," Vela replied, standing up. To her new team, she ordered, "Let us move at once. Every second we delay is more risk for our countrymen."

"Good luck, team," Ozpin concluded, as he watched the newly dubbed fourth recon team huddle in the elevator. As the doors closed, he took a sip of his coffee, and quietly added a few words:

"You'll need it."

* * *

A/N: The canon Gate story focuses on third recon, but I couldn't force the acronym to be 'third', so I had to make do with fourth. Also, the R in FORT (fourth) stands for RWBY. Yes, an acronym within an acronym. Deal with it. JNPR won't be having a major role in my story, because I say so, and because there are enough characters as it is.

Vela Fauxen is an OC I made to fill in a certain role that I need the team to have. Now, I know that many people don't really like OCs for whatever reason, but she is mostly a supporting character, despite being the leader. The main focus will still be on RW_Y, plus Blake once we get there. I'll try to stick to canon characters, but there'll be at least one more OC.


	5. Chapter 5: Captured

**Chapter 5: Captured**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: Fixed the 'invisible magic bullets' part. Thanks, RinneItachi.

* * *

"A week ago, a devastating tragedy occurred in Vale. The Gate, whose origins are still unknown, sent forth an army into the heart of our kingdom. Despite being repelled quickly, they managed to kill almost a hundred civilians and injure hundreds more. It was a grave tragedy indeed.

But what now? Well, the council has met and decided to suspend the Vytal Festival Tournament indefinitely, due to the risk of a repeat of this event. The Vale police force is on full alert, and General Ironwood has sent his Knights to patrol the streets, claiming that he has no objective but to keep the people safe.

The council has also organized a joint expedition through the Gate, to prevent further invasions from it. Already, one such attempt has been thwarted. Reports state that an army of a hundred thousand attempted to break through our defenses on Falmart, only to be ruthlessly gunned down. The enemy army took over 60,000 casualties. They may be our enemies, but was such a slaughter necessary?"

* * *

Blake was jolted awake when whatever she was lying on bounced. Her head hit the ground, adding a sharp pain to the massive headache that had begun throbbing to life. Groaning, she closed her eyes, trying to manage the sensory overload.

Focusing on her faunus-enhanced hearing, Blake began taking in her surroundings. The creaking of a wooden vehicle, muttering voices, and the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves. The sounds reached her cat ears clearly, allowing her to paint a picture of her surroundings - she was in a wooden cart of some sort, drawn by horses. And she wasn't alone.

Slowly opening her eyes, Blake's first sight was that of the stars. Whatever this place was, the air was unpolluted. For a moment, Blake forgot that she was in an unknown place, lost in the mesmerizing beauty of the stars above. The air was clean and fresh, flowing past her cat ears with a light touch.

A jolt of fear snapped her out of her trance. Her bow! Blake moved her hands to check, only to find that her movements seemed restricted. Bringing her hands into her vision, she found that they were tied up with a few layers of rope.

The cart hit another bump, jolting its occupants once more. Once more Blake's head smacked against the hard wooden floor, bringing forth a cry of pain.

What happened? How did she get here? Where was here? Questions flashed through her mind, and Blake tried to recall. Her team won the first round of the Vytal Festival Tournament, so they went to the fairgrounds to eat. JNPR joined them and Pyrrha offered to pay. The shopkeeper made her the special dish, noodles with lots of fish. Fishhhhhh...

What was she thinking about again? The fairgrounds. The invasion. They were surrounded by defenseless people, poorly armored, and without aura. She overextended, trying to kill the huge green beast. Struck by lightning and tripped on an invisible rock. Then... she must have gotten knocked out and captured.

Her team must be freaking out. Knowing them, they would find a way to get... here, wherever here was, and find her. So she would have to find out where she was, and if possible, attract the attention of her team. First, she had to escape.

Another bump jolted her out of her contemplations and her crashing against the floor. Hissing in pain, Blake sat up, looking over herself. Her clothes seemed fine, protected from damage by aura. Gambol Shroud was missing, which was unfortunate but expected. Her hands and legs were tied. Blake began moving her arms, testing the strength of the ropes that tied her hands together. They were flimsy, already partially frayed. With her aura-enhanced strength, she would be able to break them easily. Flexing her arms, Blake was preparing to free herself when a voice interrupted her.

"Hey, you. You're finally awake."

Startled, Blake temporarily gave up trying to free herself in favor of finding the source. Looking around, she saw that the wagon, horse-drawn and open to the sky, had one other occupant. He was a middle-aged man, sitting at a corner of the wagon. She immediately saw the ugly scar over his right eye, which was milky white. His other eye, black as night, was fixed on her, glinting with hidden intelligence. Like her, his arms and legs were bound. Blake took in his uniform. Despite it being dirtied and scraped, its original pale blue color and the emblem it bore were unmistakable. The man was from Atlas.

Instinctively, Blake's ears flattened down as she turned away from him, trying her best to hide her faunus heritage.

Her actions brought forth a dry chuckle. "Too late for that," the man said, "Besides, we have other things to worry about."

"Who are you?" Blake ventured, slowly turning around to face her only companion. Despite the Atlas uniform, he didn't seem like a soldier. He was too relaxed and his speech too open, not at all like how a soldier would act. At least he didn't seem racist.

"Name's Arta, but please can call me Art. I was in the fairgrounds when these guys invaded, same as you," the man, Art, replied.

"You got captured?" Blake blurted out, before realizing what a stupid question that was.

"No, I decided to tie myself up and get into a creaky old wagon," Art said, his voice oozing sarcasm.

Balke shifted into a more comfortable position. She realized that she was going to be stuck here for a while until she could come up with an escape plan. In the meantime, she would have to find out as much as she could about her situation.

"Care to tell me your name, kitty?"

Her ears flattened down again, the nickname bringing up bad memories. If Art noticed, he didn't react, just sitting there waiting for a response. "Blake. Blake Belladonna. I'm a student at Beacon," she told him, hoping that knowing her name would prevent him from mocking her faunus trait.

"Blake. So you have a team, then?"

Blake smiled a little at that. "Yeah. They'll find us. We just have to hold out until then. What can you tell me about this place?"

"I'm glad you asked," Art replied, a self-satisfied smile breaking out. "We are in a place known as Falmart. The Empire, which is some major fraction, captured us when they tried to invade Vale. That failed by the way, from what I could gather. Failed miserably."

"How do you know this? I can't understand them," Blake stated. While her faunus trait allowed her to hear much more clearly than humans, all the conversations she could overhear were in an alien language.

"Oh, that. I'm a linguist. I was doing the translations for the Vytal Festival, you know?"

"But these men don't speak any language on Remnant. How can you understand them?" Blake questioned.

"I'm not your normal linguist, Blake. My semblance makes me the best at this. It allows me to understand every written and spoken language, even if I'd never experienced it before," Art explained. Then, he laughed bitterly. "Isn't it amusing? If I didn't get captured, I would be most helpful in transcribing their language and hastening the rescue effort."

"You seem awfully calm about this," Blake noted. Come to think of it, so was she. Instead of freaking out, she was discussing her situation with a stranger.

A light chuckle brought her back to the talk at hand. "I've been through worse," Art commented, running a finger over his scar, despite his hands being tied together. He then nodded to Blake, "I'm guessing you have, too."

The Breach. Roman and his mech. The White Fang. Adam...

"I guess I have," Blake replied evenly, trying to keep her emotions in check. Her team had always been there for her. She had to get back. "What else can you tell me?"

Before the conversation could continue, the wagon slowed to a stop, and Blake could hear talking. Looking around, she saw the great stone walls of a city in front of the convoy, looming over them.

"The city of Italica," Art supplied, closing his eyes as he listened to the conversations taking place around him. Suddenly, he must have heard something that alarmed him as his eyes widened. Speaking quickly but softly, he said, "We do not have much time. You're getting off here."

"What?"

"You've just been sold to clan Formal of Italica. As a slave."

"I'm no slave!" Blake burst out, "If they think that I will just let them-"

"Shut up and listen to me," Art interrupted her. Following that, he reached into his boot with tied hands and drew out a small, sheathed knife, which he tossed to Blake. Even with her hands tied, she caught it easily. Despite it being sheathed, Blake could tell that it was elegantly created, obviously a custom made knife, with a word engraved on the handle in a language that she couldn't read.

"Use it well. When the transfer starts, I will distract them. You will run. Get free and find your team," Art ordered.

"Why are you doing this for me?"

Art shrugged, "Why not?"

"Atlas is not known for treating its faunus population well. Why not free yourself, and leave me?"

"Because of how this place treats faunus like you. Me, I'm human and can speak their language. I'll be fine. But you. These guys see faunus as slaves. Lesser beings. Besides, I have a plan. Now do you really want to keep arguing with me, or would you rather cut those ropes instead?"

Blake pulled her arms apart, tearing the flimsy ropes apart. She then did the same for those around her legs.

Art blinked. "Oh. Ah, well. Keep the knife. I expect it back, though."

The wagon began moving again, passing through the walls to enter the city of Italica. They didn't get far before the wagon stopped once more, and men opened up the back of the cart, leering eyes looking over Blake.

She shuddered under their gazes, twisting away so that they couldn't see that she had freed herself. Tensing her muscles, Blake prepared to spring into action.

"Run," Art whispered.

Blake sprang up and over the heads to the flabbergasted humans, landing softly behind the group. They got over their shock quickly and turned to give chase, only to hesitate when Art began shouting from his place on the wagon. Blake couldn't understand what he was saying - but the locals could, and they seemed to be freaking out. Everyone in the area seemed to focus on him, their faces a combination of fear and awe. Largely unnoticed by the panicked group, Blake darted away. She spotted an alley, so she quickly headed for it.

Run, Art had told her.

So Blake ran. Unfortunately, she didn't get far. Turning a corner, she ran straight into a large man, bouncing off his chest.

"Come 'ere," he growled, reaching out a meaty hand to grab Blake. The huntress-in-training easily slipped under his clumsy grab, before sweeping his feet out. As he collapsed with a heavy thump, Blake got up and hurried away.

Run, the voice in her head told her.

Blake kept running. Every step she took brought her closer to safety - relatively speaking - but she wasn't safe yet. Another man lunged at her from the shadows, only to close his arms around a clone that vanished soon after. Unencumbered, Blake dodged aside and kept going, following the winding alleyway and hoping that she could find somewhere to hide.

Run, the voice was becoming twisted, yet familiar.

A guard was in her way, fully armored and waving a sword. Blake instinctively reached for Gambol Shroud, only to grasp air. Of course, her weapon would have been taken when she was captured. Dodging the guard's clumsy swing, Blake kept going.

Run, the voice spat with hatred and fury.

Blake finally recognized the voice of her mentor, her old partner, her ex. Adam Taurus. Shocked by his mental voice, Blake stumbled to a stop. A quick glance around showed that she was not being pursued, but she still felt uncomfortable. Darting into the shadow of an overhang, she paused to catch her breath.

Run like the coward you are, his voice rebounded in her head, mocking and cruel.

He told me to, Blake defended, barely noticing that she was arguing with herself. Again she looked around - the alley was deserted. She was safe, for now.

She would have to find shelter, food, water, and a place where she could wait for her team or a method to seek them out, but for now, Blake could relax.

But what about Art? the voice in her head insisted.

For some unknown reason, Blake pulled out the knife that he had gifted - loaned - her. Unsheathing it, she looked it over. The blade was gleaming metal, making the knife deadly despite its size. Running a finger lightly over the blade, Blake found that it was sharpened to a razor edge, an obvious indication of its value to its owner. The handle was sleek and white, with red strategically added on to give the look of roaring flame. The effort that had been put in was nothing to scoff at. Idly running a hand over the unknown inscription on the handle, Blake wondered.

Why had Art so easily loaned her such a valuable item? Market value aside, it was definitely a sentimental object. Why had that Atlas man been so willing to part with it, to sacrifice himself to allow her, a faunus to escape? ...sacrifice? No, he wasn't dead... was he?

Blake had to make sure. Her conscience wouldn't simply let her walk free while her savior met an unknown but most likely horrible fate. But if she wanted to check on him, she would have to be careful not to be noticed, wasting both their efforts.

Looking around the alley, Blake's eyes landed on a long brown cloak, hanging on a hook outside a door. It looked dirty and worn, but it had a hood that could hide her features, especially her ears. Making up her mind, Blake left the safety of her spot and briskly made her way over. She wouldn't usually even think about stealing, but these were extenuating circumstances. Blake easily claimed the cloak as she hurried by the door. Throwing it on, she found that, despite the smell assaulting her enhanced senses, it would hide her identity even if it was a bit big.

Now to check on Art.

Keeping her hood up and her head down, Blake left the alley and entered a larger street. It was crowded, full of people and merchants calling out their wares. Despite the late hour, it seemed that the city was still lively. Lost in the crowds, Blake attracted little attention as she made her way through the city.

Finding her way back to where she had escaped was surprisingly easy. In hardly any time, Blake had circled around, coming back to the gates of the city. She noticed the commotion immediately, the large group of armed men circling around a central location. Unfortunately, they blocked her view of what was happening, and attempting to get closer got her nothing but a spear at her neck.

Leave him be, Adam's voice returned, sneering. Who cares if he dies? He is but a mere human.

I care! Blake screamed back in her mind. I'm not like you. He saved me. If he needs help, I'll get him out.

Fool, Adam mocked.

Shutting his voice out, Blake focused on her surroundings. She had to find a way to get a better view, but how could she do that with the soldiers in her way?

From above.

The houses nearby were simple, two-story buildings. Tall enough to give Blake a vantage and short enough to climb. But she wouldn't do it in broad view.

Making her way to the back alley once more, Blake began to climb. With her training, aided by the variety of handholds, she easily made her way up to the roof of the house. Making sure her hood was secure, she cautiously peered over the edge.

Art was still there, seemingly uninjured. He was also still bound, with rings of soldiers pointing swords and spears at him. Nevertheless, he was standing calmly, talking to a finely dressed man. Uncaring of the numerous sharp objects being pointed at him, Art was conversing fluidly with the noble, easily answering his shouted questions in a language that Blake couldn't understand.

As though sensing her presence, Art turned to look straight at her. With the hood hiding her features and the night casting its shadow over the land, it was impossible for him to identify her. Yet Blake knew that he did. With a slight smile, Art waved his hand in a 'shoo' gesture.

The soldiers definitely noticed and turned to check the roofs, but Blake was already gone.

I'll come back for you, Art. I will repay this debt.

But first, Blake had to survive in this new world. And, if possible, attract the attention of the rescue party that Vale would definitely send. Her team, team RWBY, would come for her. It was just a matter of time.

Like a shadow, Blake vanished into the night.

* * *

A/N: Does Remnant have horses? Or any kind of wildlife, for that matter, apart from Grimm, dogs and rapier wasps. I'm assuming it does. Honestly, I don't remember seeing a single animal, apart from Zwei. Come to think of it, we never saw any rapier wasps, did we? All we got was a shaking box.

Art is the other major OC in my story. He has a larger role than 'plot device to help Blakey run', don't worry.

Unfortunately, exams. Important ones. This story will be going on an indefinite hiatus until I'm done with that problem. I'll have little time to write, so I've decided to just stop uploading until I can get back to my proper schedule. Don't worry, I promise I will come back and complete this one day.

Until then, all the best.

-Sav


	6. Chapter 6: The Reaper

**Chapter 6: The Reaper**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: I'm back! Yes, I am now aware that Amber had a horse. I get it. I am also aware that dust is canonically confirmed not to work off Remnant. I have taken this into account and will address it later in the story. Eventually.

* * *

"Just over one week ago, invaders from another world, now known as Falmart, arrived to conquer Vale. Today, reinforcements from the kingdoms of Mistral, Vacuo, and Atlas have arrived to lend their aid to our kingdom. It is a truly heartwarming sight to see the four nations working together. Tragic as the otherworldly invasion may be, it has brought humanity closer together in an unprecedented corporation.

But some believe that the other nations' intentions are not so noble. Some say that Atlas aims to expand beyond their icy kingdom, into a new world. The skeptics claim that General Ironwood wants complete control of Falmart and its secrets. The General has been quick to refute these rumors, claiming them to be complete falsehoods. While the arguments rage, perhaps it is best for us to let his actions speak for themselves.

In other news, several recon teams have been sent throughout Falmart to learn more about their culture. One such team, named third recon, has reportedly entered combat with a dangerous beast known only as a flame dragon while helping local refugees evacuate. The beast was successfully driven away with no huntsmen casualties, though many of the refugees lost their lives. This brings up the questions: were the casualties preventable, and what will be done with these refugees?"

* * *

The allied armies, gathered under the Empire's banner, had vanished within a single night. With many lords and nobles dead, there was a rise in bandit activity. Until recently, they had to skulk around in the shadows, but now they could move around freely. Not only that, but among the scattered remnants of the Army, many had chosen to turn their backs on the Empire, instead choosing to turn to banditry.

In a particular area, over a dozen bandits gathered around a campfire and gleefully rummaged through their spoils.

That was, until the leader's head fell from his neck, removed by a massive halberd.

Its user was a young girl, no older than 13. Her skin was so pale it was nearly translucent, her hair and clothes were black and her eyes were bottomless pools of obsidian. Her weapon was massive and extremely heavy, but that did stop her wielding it deftly, sometimes with a single hand.

"I am Rory Mercury. Apostle of Emroy, God of Darkness," she introduced herself. With that out of the way, she got to work with her halberd.

As ordained by the gods, Apostles were simply caretakers of the world. They existed to protect the land and weed out its less desirable elements. In this case, despite the fact that her god did not condemn banditry, Rory herself found it detestable and had thus decided to eliminate them.

With the group of bandits dealt with, Rory continued on her path to the gate, attracted by the sense of violence. As morning came, she noticed a strange metal vehicle. Curious, she went to the road to wait for them.

* * *

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Yang complained. Along with the five other members of fourth recon, she was in a jeep on a bumpy dirt road. "And why are we using this crappy path, anyway? Why not use the main road?"

"Language, Yang," Tai reprimanded from the driver's seat. Vela had called shotgun, so RWY and Oobleck were in the back. "Besides, this is the main road, and if we go any faster we'll crash. This road is really bad."

As if to confirm, the jeep hit a bump and bounced up, jolting its passengers.

To the silence from the back, Tai responded, "I know you're worried, but this is the best we can do." Turning to face the back, he kept one hand on the sterling wheel as he looked at the team. Doctor Oobleck seemed to be dozing off, Ruby was anxiously fiddling with Crescent Rise, Weiss spinning Myrtenaster's dust cartridges and Yang with her fists clenched, ready to smash something. "I know how you feel, and I know that it doesn't help."

"Eyes on the road, Mr. Xiao Long," Vela reminded him from her seat, "There appears to be someone waiting for us."

Tai returned his attention to the road and saw the issue immediately. A girl was squatting in the middle of the road, with dozens of small black shapes flitting through the air around her. Ravens.

Slowing the jeep down, Tai took a look at the mysterious girl. She was young, looking twelve to fourteen years old, yet strikingly beautiful. Her eyes were like black jewels, staring at the approaching jeep without the need to blink. Despite the jeep bearing down on her, she showed no intention of moving.

What drew Tai's attention most, however, was the halberd that lay on the ground beside her, polished to a gleam and taller than the girl herself.

"Is there a problem?" Doctor Oobleck asked from the back, having noticed the deceleration. The back seats did not give a good view of the front, so the doctor and RWY couldn't see the girl waiting for them.

"Someone's in the way," Tai replied, bringing the jeep to a stop about ten meters from the girl. "Wait here, I'll go talk to her."

Opening the door, Tai got out and headed over. As he approached, the girl stood up as if she had been kept waiting, dusting off the dirt on her dress and casually picking up her huge halberd. Without further delay, she began to speak in the local language.

Unable to understand her, Tai held up a palm in a gesture to stop. The girl seemed to understand it, even if she cocked her head curiously. From his pocket, Tai pulled out his scroll and activated the General's translator. Making sure it was working, Tai carefully began to speak, "Hello. My name is Tai. Can you understand me?"

The scroll translated his words, repeating it in the local language. It was crude, but an acceptable temporary solution while Ironwood's engineers and linguists worked out a better system.

"That thing lets you speak different languages? Interesting," the girl replied. The translator promptly repeated it in English for Tai.

"What's your name?" Tai prompted.

"My name is Rory Mercury," the girl replied, "Apostle of Emroy, God of Darkness."

Tai had no idea what that meant, though it probably had to do with the local religion. Politely, he said, "We're in a bit of a hurry. Would you mind stepping aside?"

The conversation was interrupted by a blur of red. "Ooh, is that a halberd? It looks so heavy. Can I holditdoesithaveaguncanitshootmissles?!"

Rory blinked, at a loss for words, stepping back as she faced the bundle of energy known as Ruby. Tai, however, was more used to her hyperactivity.

"Ruby! I told you to stay in the jeep!" Tai reprimanded her. Then Weiss, Yang, and even Oobleck made their way over to join him, and he sighed. Vela was the only one remaining in the jeep, where she seemed perfectly content to watch the whole thing play out.

"Who are you people? Where are you going?" Rory asked, ignoring Ruby's outburst.

Restraining his eager daughter with a hand, Tai replied, "We're visitors from... far away." For some reason, he felt that it was best to keep their true origin secret. "A friend of my daughters' was taken by the Empire, and we're going to find her."

"The Empire? Who are you, to challenge such a powerful fraction?"

"Just some travelers searching for a friend."

Rory laughed, "I like your spirit, mortal. Very well. I'm coming along."

Mortal? Before Tai could say anything, Ruby blurted out, "Oh, can she? I wanna see what her weapon does!"

"Ah, excellent idea!" Oobleck added, "Having someone with knowledge of local customs and history will be most beneficial for our purposes!"

Rory raised an eyebrow as the translator attempted to translate the Oobleck's rapid speech.

"Fine," Tai relented, closing his eyes. "Why not? But-" he broke off when he realized that Ruby was already dragging Rory over to the jeep, where Vela directed them to the back. Sighing, he motioned for everyone else to get back on board.

* * *

These strangers were definitely interesting, Rory decided. They had never heard of the Empire, which dominated the continent. They spoke an alien language unlike any other. They didn't recognize her name, nor the word Apostle. Wherever they came from, it was far, far away.

Their vehicle, though, was interesting. It traveled much faster than a horse-drawn carriage and its interior was comfortable and cool, despite the beating sun outside. Rory had absolutely no idea how it worked, and her queries had yielded only evasive answers.

"Can I hold it?"

And then there was this girl, Ruby. She looked barely older, physically, than Rory herself, yet seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with weapons. Perhaps she was some kind of demigoddess as well?

Giving in to her demands, Rory answered, "Sure. It's a little heavy, though." 'A little' as in beyond the capabilities of most men to lift, Rory thought to herself.

Ruby bent down to get a good grip on the halberd that lay on the floor of the jeep, between then two rows of seats. Taking Rory's warning seriously, she braced herself as she hefted the weapon up. Used to Crescent Rose's considerable weight, Ruby had no problem lifting the halberd to examine.

Fully engaged in looking over the weapon, Ruby completely missed the wide-eyed look on Rory's face. Placing the halberd on her lap, she ran a hand over it, muttering to herself.

"Heavy, but well balanced. Polished, sharp edge, well maintained. Counterweight in the base, useful for swinging and balance..."

Ruby's analysis of Rory's halberd was interrupted when Yang draped a hand over her sister's shoulders, saying brightly, "Come on, sis, stop obsessing over that. At least talk to the girl, yes?"

"Yang!" Ruby complained, pushing her away, "I don't even know her! It's going to be so awkward!"

"Hey, you wanted to bring her along! And it can't be worse than fangirling over her weapon."

"My name is Rory Mercury," Rory interrupted the sisters' bickering with an amused smile.

"And I'm Yang!" she replied cheerfully. When Ruby didn't follow up, Yang continued, "This is my weapon maniac sister Ruby, and that's Weiss 'Ice Queen' Schnee sitting beside you."

"Hey!"

"Oh, and this is our history teacher, Professor Oobleck," Yang concluded.

"Doctor," he corrected sternly, then asked Rory, "Miss Mercury, would you mind answering a few of our questions?"

"Like where did you get this halberd from? What's it made of? The material's unlike anything I've seen. And the craftsmanship is-"

Ruby's excited questions were cut off by Rory, who replied, "It was a gift from my God, Emroy." Before anyone could question that, Rory effortlessly reclaimed her weapon from Ruby and continued, "What do you know of weapons, Ruby?"

"Oh! I've got this thing," she replied, retrieving Crescent Rose. Rory was unimpressed by the weapon, in storage from, but her expression changed quickly when the full scythe unfolded. "My baby Crescent Rose."

There was silence in the jeep, with everyone trying to process various amounts of information.

Doctor Oobleck took charge, "It appears that you and I both have many questions about each other's worlds, Miss Mercury."

"Call me Rory, please."

"Very well. Rory, let me suggest a trade. You ask a question and we answer it. Then we do the same. An answer for an answer."

Rory locked her lips. The deal was definitely interesting. It showed just how little they knew of the workings of Falmart, which meant that their friend must be important. A noble, maybe even royalty. Rory almost refused, out of the sheer confusion - and personal amusement - that it would cause, yet she wanted to know about that scythe.

The jeep suddenly jerked to a stop, cutting her thoughts short.

"Weapons ready, team," Vela's commanding voice rang out, "We have trouble."

* * *

Each day, hundreds of lords and nobles would visit the royal castle. Senators, nobles, and courtiers would gather in meetings while enjoying delicious food, graceful dancers, gambling, and courting before discussing the affairs of the Empire.

However, with the recent defeats haunting their minds, each of them had a grim look on their face. The beautiful pieces of art now looked like pebbles on a road while the graceful music sounded hollow and meaningless.

What had allowed the Empire to hold its dominant position among the many countries under the reign of Emperor Molt Sol Augustus was its overwhelming military force and immense wealth. Even a child would know that these were the reasons that the Empire was feared by the other countries. Now, the Empire can be said to have lost an arm.

"Your Majesty, the Colation Army has suffered a major defeat. The dead and missing have reached sixty thousand. If we include the ones who were wounded but are still able to resume their duties, it increases to a hundred thousand. The survivors have each returned to their respective countries."

These numbers had not included the ogres, goblins, giants, and other demi-humans, which had limited intelligence and were treated as cannon fodder.

Listening to Domestic Minister Marquis Marcus's report, the emperor nodded his head tiredly, "Just as planned. The cowardly senators who were afraid after we suffered some losses have nothing to worry about anymore."

"However, the movement of the enemies from beyond the gate is a concern."

"Hmm, are you getting paranoid?"

"I was born with this paranoia of mine. I will never attain such magnanimity as Your Majesty."

"So be it. In that case, I shall act to relieve the worries of my trusted retainer. This is not such a difficult problem. The distance from Alnus Hill to here is far. It will be fine to use the Empire's extensive territory as a rampart," the emperor said, "If the enemies start moving their forces, then all the cities and villages leading up to the Empire shall be burned down, the wells poisoned and the food seized till the last grain of wheat. Therefore, amidst the scorched earth, no army could obtain supplies and are thus forced to stop their advancement. With this, no matter how strong their army and their mages might be, they will be weakened."

Without a doubt, the scorched earth tactic was an effective one. However, such tactics would turn their own lands to a crisp, and it would be hard or impossible to undo the damage. It also disregarded the livelihoods of the people by robbing their food and water, and the support of the people would be lost, causing resentment towards the government that could last for generations. Considering all these effects, it an extremely poor political choice, despite its possible effectiveness. Hence, Marquis Marcus had to try to talk sense into the Emperor, in a way he could understand.

"But...the tax revenue would decrease."

The emperor only said, "Hmph. Just cancel a few parades and postpone the plans for the imperial villa." For the Emperor, the suffering of the people and the approval of the citizens were trivial things.

Marquis Marcus bowed his head respectfully, accepting the order. At this moment, a voice that was clear as a bell cut through the quiet air in the palace.

"Your Majesty!" the princess, Pina Co Lada, called as she stormed through the door. She had flame-like vermillion hair and white porcelain skin, accentuated perfectly by her white silk garment.

"What's the matter?"

"The Empire is now having an emergency. What has your Majesty done to curb this problem? Is your Majesty getting senile?" the princess's sharp tongue spared not even the Emperor.

"Your Highness, what urgent matters do you have to barge into the chambers of His Majesty?" the Emperor's advisor asked.

"Obviously, it's about the bandits occupying Arnus Hill. It seems that until this day Arnus Hill remains under their control. I couldn't imagine that your Majesty would still sit with such a relaxed posture after hearing what happened to the Colation Army. Marquis, have you reported the facts to his Majesty?"

Sighing, Emperor Molt held up his hand to stop their bickering. Thinking quickly of ways to appease the princess, he said, "Regarding the enemies of Arnus hill, what information we have on our hands now is very limited. Why don't you go check it out?"

"Me?" Pina was, as expected, shocked.

"Yes. We are still rebuilding the Empire's army to counter the invaders, so we are lacking scouts and can't draw them from our standing army. The enlisting and training of new recruits will need time. The only troops that are free and adequately trained would be your Rose Order of Knights. If the knights are not your playmates for pretend games, that is…" the Emperor continued, knowing just how to push the rebellious princess into action.

Under the provoking gaze of the Emperor, Pina shut her lips. She was experienced enough to recognize an 'if you don't want to then shut the hell up' tone.

"Well then. Do you accept this order?"

Gritting her teeth, Pina raised her head with a determined look. With no choice, she replied, "I understand. I will do as you say."

"Then I shall look forward to your achievements," the Emperor replied, more out of tradition than actual curiosity.

"Well then, Father. I shall be on my way."

With that, Pina Co Lada turned her back to the throne, dress sweeping behind her as she left the hall.

* * *

A/N: Third recon rescued Tuka, met Lelei, helped Coda evacuate, and fought the flame dragon offscreen. Off...text? Basically what happens in canon, except that Rory wasn't involved. It had nothing to do with FORT, but I have a way to get Lelei and Tuka to meet our main characters.

For the rest of this story, unless stated otherwise, when Remnant people and Falmart people speak and understand each other, one of their scrolls are acting as a translator.

Also, for the purpose of simplicity, I'm assuming that the primary language on Remnant is English.

In the Gate wiki, Rory's halberd is described as 'as heavy as a car'. It is also shown placed over a sleeping Tuka and others on separate occasions without crushing anyone. So I'm just going to assume it's not actually that heavy, but about Yastu sword weight. Heavy, but manageable for aura users.

If you read my Gate x Starcraft fic, you may notice that certain scenes, like the one above, are copied word-for-word. I'm lazy, alright? It's exactly the same, unaffected by who the protagonists are, but pretty important to the plot. Also, I wrote that story and gave myself permission to copy it.


	7. Chapter 7: Italica

**Chapter 7: Italica**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: As requested, I've removed the word 'English' from the previous chapter. Now Remnant speaks an unnamed language. I'm not using 'Valen' or whatever as there appears to be a common language throughout Remnant.

* * *

"In an unexpected act of generosity, General Ironwood has allowed the recent refugees of Coda Village to take up permanent residence in a newly constructed Alnus town on Falmart, located a few kilometers from the Gate and fortifications on Alnus Hill. When met with accusations of ulterior motives, General Ironwood responded with the following statement.

'Not a single one of these refugees were coerced or otherwise pressured into the new Alnus Village. They were all given a chance to be transported to a location of their choice, but choose not to take it. While they are within the village, the refugees will be treated fairly and are under the protection of Atlas. Their rights and needs will be tended to appropriately by the best of Atlas.'

While this has been accepted by most members of the public, several still remain stubborn, believing that the General has ulterior motives for this behavior. This group of people is pushing for the General to send some of the natives over to Remnant, so that they may speak for themselves."

* * *

Blake ran, stumbling as she did. Her mind was foggy and her vision blurred, but she knew that she had to run. Exiting the alley into a larger, wider path, she turned to keep an eye on her pursuers.

Blake didn't know who was chasing her, or why. Just black shapes in a vague semblance of the human form, they sparked a primal instinct to flee. So she fled, through the winding paths of an old, unknown city.

Where was she? Her mind seemed to be lagging, unable to keep up. Be it lack of sleep, hunger, or maybe even drugs of some sort, Blake found herself straining to form any coherent thought.

So she didn't. Blake just ran, one foot before the other. Ran like how she had been running for her entire life. From Adam, from the White Fang, from her team, from her recent savior Art. From herself.

Blake barely managed to bring herself to a stop as she noticed the figure standing in front of her. His long, black trench coat came down to his waist, where matching pants ran down to his boots. A sheathed sword rested at his hip, and from the midst of his fiery red hair, a pair of bull horns protruded from his head.

Adam Taurus.

"Hello, my darling," he said, and stabbed her with Wilt.

With a gasp, Blake woke up, sweating heavily. Her hand instinctively reached back for Gambol Shroud but found only air. Crouching, tense and breathing rapidly, she scanned the area. Her enhanced eyesight penetrated the shadows that seemed to fill the room, analyzing every corner for possible threats.

When Blake was sure that she was alone in the abandoned house, she allowed herself to relax, if only slightly. The house was crumbling apart around her and home to an army of rats, but that came with it being abandoned. It had proven to be a decent place to hide, and Blake had spent much of her time since escaping the soldiers there.

It wasn't like it was the first time she had to do something like this. Back in her last days as a White Fang member, she had hidden in many similar locations, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Beside her was always her partner, Adam...

No. Not now. Throwing her hood back on, Blake climbed up the interior of the rotting house. She made it up to the roof easily, exiting through a hole in the ceiling and landing on the rooftop. From there, she could look over a good portion of the city. The sky was dark, but the first hints of red had begun creeping up from the eastern horizon.

I should not have run.

Back then, in the heat of the moment, when Blake had found out that she had been sold as a slave, it had seemed the best idea. Run, disappear and stay free. It had been easy. She had been running all her life, after all.

Darting out along the rooftops, Blake laughed bitterly at herself. Now that she had time to think about it, it was a foolish decision. Run from the only person who could speak both languages and into a city of people she couldn't understand. In hindsight, not the greatest plan.

Art had been quite insistent on getting her away. Maybe he had a plan of his own, some ulterior motive? Maybe he needed to get rid of her to carry it out. Blake shook her head. Living in an unknown world had caused her paranoia to skyrocket. No point on dwelling, or suspecting the person who did help her, even if it may not have been the best idea.

The repetitive ringing of metal against metal reached her ears, and Blake brought herself to a stop. For the past few days, she had been exploring the city via rooftop, where she was all but invisible. Nobody ever looked up. The rooftops gave her easy access to much of the city, where she wandered, trying to find something to help her get home.

Guided by her exceptional hearing, Blake stealthily made her way to the source of the sound: a blacksmith. Crouching on the roof of a building opposite the road from the blacksmith shop, Blake once more reached for Gambol Shroud. And once more felt just air.

If she were to survive, Blake would need a weapon. And where better to get one than a blacksmith shop? Unfortunately, Blake realized, she would have to steal it. She had no possible way to pay for it.

Desperate times.

Settling down in a corner, Blake began to observe the blacksmith. As the sun began rising into the sky, the faunus sat in a sheltered area, watching and listening.

The blacksmith was active, the ringing of metal on metal sounding out constantly as Blake watched. Yet, there seemed to be little traffic in the area, very few people entering or exiting the building. Whatever the reason, it was beneficial to her plans. Fewer people meant less chance to be discovered.

Blake decided to make her move at lunchtime, when she saw the blacksmith, a huge man with equally huge muscles, leave and lock the door with a chain. Beside him was another man, smaller but no less muscled. For the first time in hours, the shop was silent, the blacksmith and his assistant wandering off to find some food.

Blake made sure he had left before getting up from her spot. Stretching her legs to restore the circulation, she prepared to commit a little bit of breaking and entering. And theft.

Looking around one last time to make sure that there was no one around, Blake walked over to the front door. The chains were heavy and strong, closed by a lock. She could try to pick it, but she would need some tools.

There was a piece of wire on the ground and she took it, bending it slightly to test its durability. It would serve her purpose, but she needed a knife if some sort, and there weren't any simply lying around. As she started looking for alternate entrances, Blake suddenly remembered that she did have a knife.

From her boot, she drew out the small, sharp knife that Art had loaned her. She hadn't needed it before, but it would help now. Kneeling down, Blake began to work on the lock, heart starting to race.

She didn't have much time, and she hadn't done this for a long time. If the lock was strong, the wire snapped, the knife blunted or really, if any single thing went wrong, it would fail.

The lock almost fell apart under her attack, and Blake blinked. That had been surprisingly easy. The lock and chain fell away.

Deciding against pushing her luck further, Blake quickly nudged open the door and slipped in, making sure to close it behind her. It didn't really matter - anyone who came back and saw that the lock was broken would immediately know that it had been broken into.

The shop was dim due to a lack of windows, lit by just a single oil lamp. Taking it, she quickly used its light to illuminate the area, easily spotting the weapons rack. She headed over, careful not to touch anything else. Rows of newly forged swords, daggers, shields, spears, and a few war axes gleamed in the light of the oil lamp. Blake couldn't help but feel disappointment run through her. Based on what she had seen of this world, their weapons were lackluster at best. Gambol Shroud, her preferred weapon, was a Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe. This shop had nothing close to it.

Sighing, Blake reached for a pair of swords and their sheaths. They were the closest she could get to her original weapon, so they would have to do. She strapped both around her chest, ensuring that the swords lay across her back, where she usually kept Gambol Shroud. Not only was she used to it, but her cloak would hide it well.

It was time to leave, Blake decided. Every second she spent increased her chances of getting caught. She turned to leave, and the front doors burst open, allowing sunlight to flood into the shop. It also revealed a very angry blacksmith.

The blacksmith bellowed something at her, but Blake was more focused on finding a way to escape. Besides, it was not like she could understand what he was shouting. Unfortunately, the front door was the only way out, and the blacksmith was currently blocking it.

Tired of yelling ineffectively, the blacksmith suddenly picked up a hammer and charged her. He swung it at her, the blow strong but slow. Blake easily backed away, dodging the attack. The blacksmith stumbled, off-balance, and Blake took the opportunity to kick out, sending the heavyset man to his back. Dashing past his prone body, Blake ran out of the shop.

And promptly took a fist to the face. Her aura lessened the impact, but Blake was swept off her feet. Her fuddled mind registered that the blacksmith had an assistant, who must have been the one to strike her. He reached down in an attempt to grab Blake, but she leaped to her feet and sprinted down the road.

Right into a pair of fully armored guards.

The guards took one look at the situation - a cloaked person running from the local blacksmith who was screaming of theft - and drew their own conclusions. Admittedly, they drew the correct conclusions, but Blake didn't expect one of them to swing his sword, aiming to cut her down.

Leaping back, Blake managed to mostly dodge the strike, leaving only the tip of the sword to graze against her aura. Unfortunately, the move caused her hood to fall away, revealing her faunus ears to everyone present. Her ears flattened against her head instinctively, but it was too late.

After the moment of shock had passed, there was more shouting that Blake couldn't understand. Annoyed by the lack of a response, a guard slashed at Blake once more.

Once more Blake backed away, trying to find a way out without killing anyone. Unfortunately, a crowd had formed around her and the two guards, preventing a simple escape. They slashed again, and Blake kept backing away, but she was running out of space.

Without another choice, Blake drew her stolen swords, holding one in each hand. The action caused a roar to erupt from the bloodthirsty crowd. The guards regrouped, wary.

Just like Gambol Shroud, Blake thought. Except it wasn't. The stolen swords were too large and heavy, unlike her lighter and more elegant weapon. Their balance was off.

The guards came at her together, intent on using their numbers advantage. Blake ducked under one's slash and crossed her swords to block the other.

The plan was that her swords and the guards' would lock. In reality, Blake's aura enhanced strength threw her assailant backward, his armor clanking as he skidded along the ground.

As shocked as everyone else, Blake barely managed to see the first guard attacking her from her side. Instinct took over as her semblance activated, leaving only a clone to be cut. Blake then swept her swords to meet his, the impact shattering the latter.

The guard dropped to his knees, his damaged weapon falling from his grip and his face registering awe and fear. The other guard had also left his sword on the ground as he recovered, and too kneeled. Around them, the crowd's whispers quietened. One by one, they dropped to a knee in deference.

What?

Before the frozen Blake could do anything, the bandits attacked the city.

* * *

The men, about twenty of them, were clustered around a makeshift barricade in the middle of the path. Their armor, once gleaming, polished metal, marked them as members of the Coalition Army. But ever since their crushing defeat at Alnus, they were nothing more than bandits. Bandits who had just spotted new prey.

"Halt!" the bandit chief, elected after the death of their previous commanding officer, called out at the approaching carriage. Then he frowned. The carriage wasn't drawn by horses, neither was anyone pushing it. How was the horseless carriage moving at all?

The chief put the thought out of his mind. It was coming to a stop at the impromptu blockade, and that was all that mattered. He could see through the front of the vehicle to see the driver, a male, and a beautiful woman beside him. A lustful grin broke out on his face - she would make a great prize.

The driver stepped out, a strange device in his hand, and faced the group of bandits. They had scrounged up some debris to block the road, preventing anyone from crossing. Around the makeshift barrier, the twenty or so bandits gathered, staring at the strangers.

"State your name and destination!" the chief bellowed. There was silence for a moment before the reply came in a strange manner. The man spoke into his device and, a moment later, it projected his voice into the air.

"My name is Tai. We are on the way to Italica. We mean no harm; allow us to pass."

"Tai, eh? If you want to pass, you must pay a toll," the chief ordered, chucking to himself. Around him, his underlings gathered, slowly moving to surround the vehicle.

"What do you want?" Tai asked, wariness in his voice.

Snickering, the chief pointed to the woman, who was still sitting within the vehicle. "Her," he demanded, "Give us the woman, and you may pass."

The door slammed open, and Vela stepped out. Her dress blazed, as though afire, her eyes shining in rage. The chief didn't notice that, though - his gaze was fixed on her chest and hips. Vela yelled out in her language, which Tai's device helpfully translated. "Bandits! Foolish scum. Do you want me? Come get me!"

Her challenge given, Vela drew out her staff from her back. It was currently just a staff, but the various pieces of machinery on it suggested that it could be far more. Holding it in a ready position, Vela waited for the bandits.

The bandit chief met her challenge and rushed forward, drawing his sword. Behind him, the other bandits cheered. He sneered, obviously not taking her seriously. Vela would make him regret it.

As her opponent approached, Vela swung her staff. The first strike knocked the bandit chief's sword out of his hand, the next striking him on the temple, stunning him. Taking advantage of his incapacitation, Vela swung her staff in a downward arc behind her, building up momentum to send the weapon flying up between the chief's legs. The force of the blow sent him almost flying into the air, his face twisted in agony before he collapsed, unconscious.

The next few moments were silent as the men all winced. Then, with a roar, the remaining bandits rushed forward, swords in their hands and murder in their eyes. Calmly, Vela returned to her basic stance, waiting for them to approach.

Before she could counterattack, a black-dressed figure landed in front of her, between Vela and the bandits. Rory Mercury, gigantic halberd in hand, stood between them, her very presence striking fear into the hearts of the bandits. With a curtsey, she began to speak in a chilling tone.

"Bandits, how far you have fallen. Thank you for offering your lives to me. I thank you on behalf of my god. Emroy is very pleased with your gift, and he says that I should enjoy myself with you."

Then she darted forward, halberd slashing away. It cleaved cleanly through any armor, Rory killing the bandits almost effortlessly. Blood spurted freely, the twenty reduced to five within a few seconds. The surviving ones gave in to their fear and fled, only for Rory to dash after them with unnatural speed, before cutting them down.

Soon she returned to the blockade, her clothes splattered with blood. Vela gazed upon the scene impassively, still holding her staff. The young girl returned her gaze, surrounded by the corpses of her victims. Somehow, her dress was still pristine, unstained by the blood that flowed like water.

"I had it under control," Vela stated, grimacing as the smell of blood began to permeate the air.

Rory laughed but didn't reply. Tai, watching in silence from the side, asked, "What are you?" His voice carried both awe and newfound fear.

"You truly know nothing of the Apostles?"

Their confused faces told Rory that the answer was an obvious no. "The Twelve Apostles are the caretakers of this world. As ordained by the gods, we keep the balance of this world, and remove any unwanted elements," Rory explained, gesturing to the corpses that lay around her.

Tai's eyes narrowed. "We need to talk."

* * *

"Quickly! We are almost there!" Princess Pina rallied her knights as they rode to Italica. A few days ago, along with her aide Hamilton and her mentor Grey, she had heard several interesting rumors in a bar. That some mysterious 'Men in White' had driven off a flame dragon, but more importantly, that Italica was under siege. Thinking it to be the work of the invaders from the Gate, Pina had brought her knights riding to help the city, while the slower foot soldiers followed behind.

The walls of the trade city loomed up before them, and the black smoke pouring into the air suggested that they were late. The city was already under attack.

"Go! Help the defenders!" Pina commanded. Her Rose Knights bore their banners high as they rode in, ready to engage with the enemy.

Pina soon found out that they were not the enemy from beyond the Gate. Instead, their clothing and weapons showed their identity as mere bandits, not the powerful opponents from another world. Her disappointment was short-lived as her forces met the bandits, the more disciplined and trained knights cutting through their opposition.

When the battle was over and the bandits retreated, Pina made her way to the Formal mansion. Revealing her identity to the clan, Pina took command of the Countess' soldiers in defense of Italica. She rallied the forces, preparing for the inevitable next attack, planning to delay until the majority of her forces could arrive.

Exhausted, she was about to retire to bed when a noble came to her, saying, "Princess Pina, there's someone who wants to speak to you. He says that he can help, and his name is... Art."

* * *

A/N: The title 'Men in White' came from third recon, which was comprised of Atlas soldiers and specialists. They wear a lot of white. First, second and third recon are Atlas soldiers and specialists, while Ozpin himself personally created FORT for Vale. Fifth and sixth represent Mistral and Vacuo. Anyway, that's how our Remnant guys got their title.


	8. Chapter 8: The Battle of Italica Part 1

**Chapter 8: The Battle of Italica Part 1**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: A quick rewatch of the show and yes, Atlesian soldiers and knights were more white than blue. I've changed their title.

* * *

"Next up, news from the newly constructed Alnus Village. Reports have come in that the refugees from Coda Village are hard at work, cleaning up the battlefield around the hill. Denying all accusations of forced labor, General Ironwood says that the refugees were the ones who approached him with the offer of collecting Wyvern scales, which are valuable on Falmart. According to the General, the refugees feel indebted to Atlas for rescuing and helping them, which is why they are willing to help clear up the battlefield.

However, much of the population is unhappy and suspicious of Atlas' actions. Not only do they keep pouring troops and resources through the Gate, but they are also currently refusing to allow any non-military forces through. Headmaster Ozpin has promised to speak to the general, however, alleviating much of the people's fear"

* * *

Italica was burning. A large plume of smoke was billowing freely into the air. As FORT's jeep made its way over to the towering outer walls of the city, Tai could make out the numerous archers stationed on the wall, ready to rain arrows down upon them.

The jeep reached the gate of the city, where armored guards blocked their way. "Halt! What is your business in Italica?" one called out.

"I'll deal with this," Tai said, stepping out. He walked over to the guards, who immediately began interrogating him.

A few minutes passed before Rory got bored. Hopping out of the jeep, she headed over to where Tai was arguing with the guards.

"- keep our weapons? No way," Tai was saying.

"Let us through," Rory interrupted, striding up with her halberd casually slung over her shoulder.

"Why would we make-" the guard broke off, eyes widening. "Rory Mercury!" The guards looked at each other nervously as the Apostle demanded entry. "We were told not to allow strangers with weapons through. You must understand, the bandit attacks have left us all on edge."

Rory laughed. "That's alright. I won't attack Italica, and neither will my companions," she promised, glancing at Tai.

He got the message immediately. "We promise not to bear our weapons against the city or its people."

The guards looked at each other once more. By right, they should bar entry anyway... but neither wanted to risk an Apostle's wrath. Stepping aside, they motioned the jeep through. The high-tech jeep attracted the attention of many as it slowly made its way into the city, but the people had other things to worry about. From within, FORT took in the scenes around them. Many buildings bore the scorch marks of fire damage, while some had burned to the ground. Many of the people seemed injured in one way or another, their wounds being tended to.

"The city is under siege," Oobleck declared, scanning the surroundings. "Fire damage, barricades, the wounded," he explained, voice uncharacteristically low, "They expect another assault."

"It's the bandits," Rory provided as the jeep continued deeper into the city. Here, the battle damage was less pronounced, though the subdued atmosphere prevailed. "After the allied armies were destroyed, their remnants turned to banditry. To attack such a large town, though, their numbers must be huge. Annoying."

"And you think they will return to destroy this city?" Vela asked.

Rory nodded.

"Then we will defend it."

The rest of the team looked at her incredulously. "You don't seem like the kind to simply help someone in need," Tai explained, at Vela's glare.

"I have my reasons. Any objections?"

The team was silent.

Decision made, it was time to pay the person in charge a visit to ensure there was no confusion during battle. As such, FORT headed to the largest mansion in the city, where they were surprised to hear that Pina Co Lada, the princess of the Empire, was leading the defense.

"Hey! Stop there! Who are you?" an armored woman bearing a rose emblem demanded, blocking their path.

Rory had declined to join them, choosing to stay with Doctor Oobleck guarding the jeep and discussing history, as per the agreement. That left Tai, Vela and the students to march into the mansion to speak to Pina. The mansion loomed over them all, a testament of wealth and power, so different from the more run-down state of the outer houses.

"My name is Tai."

Before he could continue introducing the others, the knight was speaking again, "Why are you here?"

Tai glanced at Vela, who simply shrugged in return. "We heard of the bandits around here, and that the city could use some help," Tai said.

"Mercenaries, then?"

Tai frowned, ready to correct her, but Vela spoke first, "Yes. We would like to discuss the price of our aid with Princess Pina."

The knight nodded. "Great, we need all the help we can get. Follow me," she ordered, spinning around and walking off.

The group followed her as she led the way through a maze of corridors. As they walked through the mansion, Tai switched off the translator and whispered to Vela, "Why did you tell them we're mercenaries?"

"This town needs assistance against the bandits. If we can secure a deal with the Princess, her influence will greatly speed up our search," she replied confidently.

They quickly got to their destination. The Rose Knight knocked on the door and pushed it open, revealing a cavernous room in which Pina and several men were seated around a table, discussing strategy. The princess, leading the discussion, had dark red hair as well as eyes of matching color and was wearing light armor. While she didn't have the commanding presence that many generals and kings wielded, Pina acted with pride and confidence, the mark of nobility.

"Princess Pina, a group of mercenaries wishes to assist us. They want to speak with you," FORT's guide introduced them.

The discussion stopped, Pina looking over the group. She immediately began analyzing them. Their clothing styles were varied, lending weight to the claim that they were mercenaries. They seemed to have some kind of magical device translating the local language, so they had come from a distant land. But something didn't seem right. Two adults and three youths, claiming to be mercenaries, yet wore no armor or swords? Perhaps their gear was currently in storage, Pina decided. With the current situation being as desperate as it were, she decided to give them a chance.

"Thank you, Shandy," Pina told their guide, who smiled brightly and stood aside. "Who leads you?" Pina continued, this time addressing the team. It was more of a formality than an actual question, for Pina had already assumed that the man was the leader.

Hence her surprise when Vela stepped forward and proclaimed, "I do. My name is Vela."

The Princess recovered quickly. "My name is Pina Co Lada, Princess of the Empire," she introduced, even though everyone already knew that. "Help us and you will be paid generously. Your assistance would be most useful at the southern gate. I assume you know its location?"

Vela smiled to herself at Pina's attempt to steer the conversation. Usually, she would flip it back around - and she could - but they were the strangers here. It would be better to allow Pina to lead. "Of course," she replied simply, "Any reason why?"

Pina seemed to find no reason to withhold the information, so she replied, "The southern gate had already been broken through once, and the defensive preparations there were completely destroyed. We plan to deliberately make a weakness along the defensive line and draw in the enemy's attacks, then surround and crush them."

What she neglected to mention was that during the last battle, they had also deliberately feigned a vulnerability, so the enemy would think it was an easy target. The tactic had worked flawlessly, Pina's troops easily overwhelming their opposition after the latter had overextended their forces. The enemy had already fallen for the trap once.

"Very well."

"Good. As for payment, a reasonable amount of gold or wealth can be discussed after our victory," Pina concluded.

"We're not interested in money," Vela dismissed her offer, "But we would like something else done for us."

Though confused, Pina agreed immediately. Whatever they wanted shouldn't be too much of a problem, assuming that the city survived the next assault. It should be simple enough to give them their desire, or at least pay them off. No mercenary would deny gold.

"Then that will be all. Shandy, please show them to their post. If you need weapons-"

"We have our own."

As expected, Pina thought, and continued, "Of course. Be prepared, the bandits are expected to attack soon."

Besides, Pina thought to herself, as she returned to planning with her commanders, they would probably end up dead.

* * *

"The Princess of the Empire. I didn't expect to run into someone like her. She's surprisingly young, to be in charge of so much," Tai mused. Having exited the mansion, the group was following Shandy as she led them through the city towards the southern gate. With their translators switched off, they could speak freely without fear of being understood. "Why did you tell them we're mercenaries, Vela?" Tai suddenly asked.

"As I said, it allowed us to ask for any payment we want. The Princess is our best chance of finding your missing member," Vela curtly replied.

"But why did she send us to the southern gate?" Weiss interrupted, "Why would she send strangers to the front lines?"

"It is a suicide mission," Vela responded easily, as though talking about the weather. "Pina expects us to die there."

"What?!"

Vela turned to see the others standing still. Their guide too looked back, questioning them in the native language. Vela raised a hand to silence Shandy while Yang exclaimed, "You knew? And didn't stop her?"

Vela seemed unconcerned by her flashing red eyes. "You are huntresses-in-training, Miss Xiao Long. You are trained to defeat the very embodiment of darkness. If mere bandits scare you, what chance do you have of rescuing your partner?" she challenged. Yang growled but seemed to get the point.

"But why not tell us earlier?" Weiss ventured as Yang's eyes faded back to lilac.

"It is of no significance," Vela replied. Turning back, she called out, "We waste time. Let's go." Without waiting for a reply, she strode forward into the twisting streets of Italica, walking as though she owned the city. In her wake were a concerned parent, three speechless students, and a very confused Rose Knight.

* * *

When Vela, Tai, Ruby, Weiss, and Yang arrived at the southern gate, it was some time in the afternoon and the sun was slowly making it's across the sky. But surprisingly, a familiar jeep was already there, waiting for them. When the group arrived, Oobleck came forward to meet them, Rory a step behind him.

"Wait, how'd they get here?" Yang wondered.

"I called Oobleck and told him to drive the jeep over," Tai said.

"Wait, our scrolls still work?" Weiss asked, "We aren't even on Remnant. Without the CCTs, they can't communicate."

"Long-range communication is still unavailable, yes," Tai agreed, "But the scrolls can still send and receive short-range messages."

"Oh."

Shandy took the lapse in conversation to cut in. "Position yourselves along the wall as you see fit. Unfortunately, we can't spare any soldiers to help you, but the civilian militia will be ready to support -"

"Send them away," Vela ordered.

"Won't you need their help? Their numbers?"

"No."

Shandy waited for an explanation, but none came. Before she could push further, Rory decided to speak, "Do as they say. I look forward to seeing them fight." As she spoke, she licked her lips, which turned just a shade darker.

"Of course. I'll tell Pina to relocate them. Please prepare for the battle," Shandy said and hurried away. She didn't know how these strangers got Emroy's apostle to help them and frankly, she didn't want to ask.

When the knight was out of sight, Vela took command. Leaving the jeep on the ground, team FORT and Rory went to the top of the wall. She surveyed the area for less than a minute before turning to the team. More specifically, to Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Rory.

"The upcoming battle will involve a lot of death. Killing. As you four are still young," Vela began. She noticed the smirk that Rory gave at that line, as well as Oobleck's wince, but chose to ignore them and continued, "I am now giving you the chance to sit out. If you wish not to participate in the slaughter, this is your one chance. I need to know how who is going to fight if I am to assign roles. But remember, if you want to help, you must carry your weight. No second thoughts. I am not babysitting anyone in the middle of a battle. So?"

"Why are we defending this town, though?" Rory asked. "Isn't the Empire your enemy?"

"To protect the city."

Rory's distinctively unladylike snort told him what she thought of that. "Emroy is the god of war, so he does not condemn killing. But the reason we do so is important. Lies stain the soul."

Vela turned to look Rory in the eye. "Yes, the Empire attacked my city. In the past, that would have been enough for me to personally raze them to the ground. But my husband has taught me to focus my anger. The citizens of this city did nothing against us. My rage is directed at only those responsible," Vela replied quietly, losing her usual confident air. Then, she grinned, "And now the Princess owes me payment. There is much to gain."

Rory grinned openly at the answer. "In that case, I shall assist you," she replied, with an elegant curtsy, "It's been a while since I could let loose."

"Very well. You three?" Vela accepted Rory's decision. Back in command mode, she turned to the members of team RWBY.

"They're... bandits, right?" Ruby hesitantly began.

"Lay your conscience to rest. These men are monsters who destroy and kill. They plan to attack and pillage an entire city."

"It would be best to exterminate these pests quickly before they get even more support," Rory added.

Yang was the first to speak up, "I'll help if Ruby does. If she thinks it's best, I'll follow."

"Me too," Weiss added, "I trust her judgment."

Suddenly responsible for her teammates' choices as well, Ruby hesitated. "If they're innocent..." she began.

"If they're innocent, they wouldn't join the assault on the city. Time ticks away, Miss Rose. Is your team sitting back, or will you join the defense?" Vela demanded.

Ruby closed her eyes and took a deep breath, obviously conflicted. When she opened them up again a minute later, she had come to a decision. "For Blake. Yes, we'll help."

Vela didn't waste any more time. "The bandits are expected to launch a full-scale frontal assault. They will outnumber us, so we need to take out as many as possible while they approach. Myself, Ruby and Yang will stay on the wall to pick them off. Rory and Tai will stay on the ground to meet any bandit that gets past in melee. Weiss, your task is to use your dust and glyphs to funnel any bandit that gets close to Rory and Tai. Doctor Oobleck, you are to patrol the wall and prevent any attempts from the bandits to scale it. If Oobleck is overwhelmed, Yang is to assist him. I believe that this is the best use of our talents. Questions?"

"Yeah. How do you know our talents?" Yang ventured arm raised.

"I read your Beacon files. Including Mr. Xiao Long's and Doctor Oobleck's," Vela replied. "Any questions relating to the plan?"

There were none, so FORT began their preparations.

* * *

The bandits attacked at sunset. The setting sun cast the sky in red as an army of bandits poured forth.

Vela looked stoically at the incoming army. Her team was around her, prepared. Far behind them, at the base of the wall, the militia waited. Pina apparently did not trust them enough to allow them to be unsupported, but it was too late to chase them away now.

From their position on the towering southern wall, FORT readied their weapons. As the bandits charged through the open plains towards the city, the team opened fire on them.

Crescent Rose fired first, one shot at a time. With her eye down the scope, Ruby landed headshot after headshot with the High Caliber Sniper Scythe. Each of her targets fell to her deadly precision and sniper rounds in a spray of red, and Ruby gritted her teeth and did her best to ignore it. They were bandits. Criminals. She kept whispering that to herself, Crescent Rose whispering as it took life after life.

Yang didn't bother with accuracy. She wildly slung her rockets into the crowd, aiming at the largest clusters of bandits. Each erupted in a fiery blaze upon contact, sending the bandits into disarray as their clothes caught fire and the shockwave threw them off balance. The explosions of the rapid-fire rockets sounded into the sky.

Vela's staff partially folded up, a barrel opening up as it transformed into a rifle. Bracing it against her shoulder, she fired dust rounds into the approaching bandits.

Despite the bombardment, the army pushed forward, swarming towards the southern gate. Weiss went into action, using Myrtenaster and ice dust to summon forth walls of ice that forced the leading bandits into a bottleneck.

Rory eagerly set upon her victims, her halberd spinning and slashing. It rent armor like paper, cleaving through the bandits. Tai, standing guard with her, didn't need to lift a finger.

Just like that, it was over. The field outside the gate was quiet, littered with corpses.

"Strange," Vela muttered, resting her weapon, back in staff form, in the stone wall. "Far less than expected. No leader, either."

"I believe I know why, Vela," Oobleck said, "Italica's Eastern and Western gates are under attack as well."

A cursory glance showed that he was correct; the areas around both other gates were aflame, smoke steadily rising into the air.

The battle was not yet over.


	9. Chapter 9: The Battle of Italica Part 2

**Arc 2: Kingdoms and Empires**

**Chapter 9: The Battle of Italica Part 2**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: Salem's coming, don't you worry.

* * *

FORT had successfully fended off the bandits' assault on Italica's Southern gate, but the city's Eastern and Western gates are still under assault.

"The militia and Pina's forces are at the Western gate, but I doubt that they will be able to withstand such an assault," Vela said, looking over the area using a pair of binoculars.

"I'll take care of it!" Rory called out, leaping off the wall and onto the houses in the city. Darting easily over their roofs, she sprinted for the Western gate.

"Rory!" Vela called out, but she was already out of earshot. "Damnit," she muttered, then decided, "Rose! Doctor! Assist her! Yang, with me. We defend the Eastern gate. The rest, hold this point!"

With that, Vela was running off, heading for the Eastern gate. A moment later, Yang followed. A burst of rose petals signaled that Ruby did as she was told, dashing in Rory's wake. Oobleck followed her with his unnatural speed. Tai and Weiss remained to guard the Southern gate against further invasion attempts.

* * *

Rory sprinted along the roofs of the houses, heading straight for the Western gate. Despite an unwieldy halberd weighing her down, her steps were swift and sure. The only time she stumbled was when Ruby appeared beside her, matching her step for step, having burst forth from petals.

"You caught up with me? I'm impressed. Few humans can even keep up," Rory commented as they neared their target.

"Oh, that's my semblance! I can go really fast," Ruby replied.

"Oh? Interesting," Rory said. During her talk with the eccentric Doctor Oobleck, they had touched on the topic. What was it, again? 'The manifestation of a person' s aura?'

At their speed, they soon neared the fighting. Clashes of metal and screams of pain could be heard.

A quick look revealed that the defenders had abandoned their barricade, instead running out to meet the bandits. Ruby saw the plan immediately: to only allow some bandits through the gate at a time, where they could be overwhelmed, eliminating their advantage of numbers. The plan had been good, but the hastily conscripted civilians lacked the discipline to see it through. Furthermore, the bandits had an advantage. With the sun at their backs, they could attack freely while their foes had to squint against the glare of the setting sun. It was no coincidence that they had chosen to attack the Western gate in full force.

Laughing, Rory jumped straight into the fray, sending out a shockwave as she landed. The combatants stopped fighting for a second to look at the newcomer, allowing Ruby to fly in beside her, landing in a crouch with Crescent Rose held across her back.

The bandits froze in fear, terrified of going against both the Apostle of Emroy and the unknown scythe wielder with her.

The calm before the storm.

With fearful eyes, the gathered bandits unconsciously clustered together in an attempt to overcome their fear. Rory laughed merrily, lifting her halberd effortlessly. Ruby slowly stood up to her full height, scythe poised behind her. Her silver eyes closed for a moment before Ruby fixed her gaze on her enemies.

Then the storm erupted.

Rory burst forth in an explosive burst of motion, wielding her halberd in a dance of death. She swung, spun, cleaved her foes' shields apart and then knocked them down. Only the luckiest could even land a blow on her, and Rory made sure to return it tenfold before simply regenerating. The Reaper cut through men like weeds, showcasing her ability.

Beside her, matching her deadly skill, Ruby was a blur of red. Shedding rose petals as she fought, the huntress-in-training was a deadly whirlwind. Crescent Rose cleaved through armor, drawing blood and cutting the bandits down. Attempts to hurt her met aura, deflecting the bandits' puny weapons, while their armor did little against her. With abilities far beyond her age, Ruby sliced her enemies apart.

Focusing fully on the battle at hand, Ruby fired her gun, the high caliber bullet piercing through an entire line of men. With its recoil, Ruby jumped back, dodging the strike aimed at her neck. Rory was there immediately, cutting the bandit apart. The two locked eyes, each recognizing and respecting the other's skill, before turning back to decimate the remaining bandits who had entered the city.

From her perch on the wall, Pina looked on, speechless. Who had she invited into the city? The child wielded her scythe with all the skill and power of an Apostle, matching Rory kill for kill. Was she an Apostle herself? Pina had not believed Shandy when she had claimed that Rory was with the mercenaries. But here she was, fighting alongside one of the teenagers in the mercenary group. And if the youngest could wield such devastating power, what were the adults capable of?

As if on cue, Doctor Oobleck arrived on the scene. With his unusual clothing, Pina immediately recognized him as one of the foreign mercenaries. In his hand, he held what looked like a bat. Without a single moment of hesitation, he leaped off the wall from beside Pina, a gleam in his eyes. The Princess let out an involuntary gasp of surprise as she watched him fall to the center of the bandit army.

Oobleck landed with a flicker of flame, clearing his immediate surroundings. Nevertheless, he was surrounded by an army, who immediately turned upon and swarmed the lone enemy in their ranks.

Oobleck remained calm. While he prided himself on his sharp mind and vast knowledge, he was fully trained and qualified as a Hunter. Antiquity's Roast in full combat form, he began his attack.

Sweeping the club/flamethrower hybrid in an arc, Oobleck forced his enemies away. Antiquity's Roast spewed flame from its tip, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Oobleck began to spin, his speed steadily increasing while his weapon released what seemed to be an endless stream of fire. The fire, shaped by his movements, spun around him. Somehow it kept burning strongly despite the lack of fuel. Faster and faster the Hunter and his flame spun until Oobleck was at the center of a spinning, roaring wheel of hungry fire that incinerated all caught within. Brighter and brighter it glowed, like a new sun.

From her perch on the wall, Pina gulped as she began to sweat. Not from the heat of the unnatural fire, but from the fear that clouded her heart. Who were these strange men, who wielded the power of Flare, the sun god? Were they Apostles? Gods?

These mercenaries were not to be trifled with, Pina realized, her mouth suddenly dry. They wielded the power of gods. Whatever it took, she must have their loyalty, their power, at her side.

Pina shuddered as she remembered the price of their aid. 'We're not interested in money, but we would like something else done for us.' They could ask for anything, and she would have no choice but to accept. If they demanded the surrender of Italica, what could she do? To stand against them was hopeless.

The blinding wheel of fire began to dim as its creator slowed to a stop. The bandit army had been ravaged by the fire, hundreds killed while the others fled in terror. The ground itself was scorched and blackened, in spirals that all met at a single point. At this point Oobleck stood, unhurt, adjusting his hat.

Nearby, within the city walls, a bloody Rory looked at the frozen Pina and grinned. Beside her, Ruby stared in mute horror over the remains of the battlefield.

* * *

"Someone's coming," Tai said. He squinted, trying to spot any enemies in the plains before him. He could have sworn that he saw movement, but with the setting sun casting long shadows over the land, it was difficult to locate any potential enemies.

Beside him, Weiss was looking slightly further out. "Is that an Atlas jeep?" she asked, as the reflected sunlight caught her eye.

Looking over, Tai grunted in surprise. Indeed, an armored jeep was heading towards Italica. "Wonder who that could be."

The two were not the only ones who had noticed the newcomers. Coming out of their hiding spots, the camouflaged bandits prepared to ambush the vehicle.

On the wall, Weiss and Tai prepared to take out the no longer hidden bandits, only to stop when a woman in a regal white and blue uniform stepped out. Her hair was nearly pure white in color, tied in a bun behind her head to the left that allowed her bangs to fall towards the right of her face.

"Winter!" Weiss couldn't help but cry out.

"Your sister?" Tai asked, "What's she doing here? In the middle of a siege?"

With a bloodthirsty roar, the bandits broke out of their cover and charged at the jeep. Nonplussed, Winter drew her rapier. A flick of the wrist and a glowing white Beowolf appeared in front of her, roaring.

The bandits hesitated only for a second before rushing in, meeting the summon head-on. The Beowolf swiped away those that got close but more arrived, stabbing it with their swords.

"I'm going to help her," Weiss told Tai, before leaping off the wall. Without a word, Tai too leaped off, the two of them running at the bandits.

The Beowolf howled, swiping with its claws. They tore armor and flesh alike, while the bandits' weapons did little against its spectral form. Seeing the futility of attacking the beast, several of the bandits moved for its summoner instead, aiming to cut her down. Their swords struck only air when Winter effortlessly dodged aside before her sword cut them down.

From behind the bandits, Weiss loaded up Myrtenaster and swept it in an arc, sending forth a wave of ice. It froze their feet to the ground, allowing Tai to sweep in.

The elder Xiao Long wore gauntlets similar to that of Yang's, except that one was blue while the other, red. His strikes released bursts of ice and fire against his enemies, knocking them out or directly killing them.

The bandits were soon defeated, and Winter allowed her summon to fade away. Then, hands behind her back, she turned to face her sister.

* * *

Vela and Yang jumped into the jeep, before the former floored it. Tires squealing, the jeep blasted its way through the city, bringing its passengers to the Eastern gate. From what they knew of Pina's plans, the gate was largely undefended.

The scene that they arrived to was different from the expectation. Instead of bandits given free rein, they were clashing against a wedge of fighters, who were holding their own against the bandit forces. Yang's gaze was drawn to the front of the wedge, where the fighting was fiercest, where the leading defender was cutting down bandits in a strangely familiar fashion.

"Deal with those within the walls!" Vela commanded, forcing the jeep to a screeching stop and drawing Yang's attention. "I'll hold off those outside the city. Assist me when you are ready."

As Yang cocked Ember Celica and prepared to enter the melee, Vela aimed her staff at the top of the Eastern wall. Part of it detached and was shot up to the wall, where it opened up into a claw and hooked onto the stone. A push of a button and the grappling hook retracted, sending Vela to the top of the wall.

At her vantage, Vela looked outwards as the bandit archers fired, sending forth a wall of flaming arrows. Their trajectory would take them over the wall and into the city, where they would strike the flammable houses and the city defenders. It was effective, as evidenced by the smoke and fire already within the city. Some would inevitably wound other bandits, but they didn't seem to care.

Vela would put a stop to that. Raising her staff, she invoked the might of her semblance: Sanctuary.

From in front of her, a force field sprang into existence. Growing rapidly in size, the translucent field expanded to a massive shield that covered the entire Eastern wall. It looked solid yet insubstantial, flickering like hungry fire.

The sheer size and majesty of the shield drew the attention of everyone nearby. Those within its embrace found themselves illuminated by warm light, not unlike the warmth of the sun. Those outside saw an impenetrable barrier, protecting those within. A sanctuary.

At the heart of it all was Vela Fauxen, her dress blazing red and writhing like licks of flame. Like the goddess of fire, beautiful and untouchable, she stood against the army, lighting up the night.

The hundreds of arrows made contact with the field and immediately turned to ash, no more useful than sticks.

Underneath this sudden protection, the defenders rallied, pushing against the bandits. Without hesitation, Yang leaped into the fray like a human cannonball. She bowled the bandits aside, flaring her golden aura as she came to a stop in front of the leading defender.

"Looks like you could use a -" Yang began, only to break off as she stared into a pair of very familiar amber eyes. "Blake?!"

Blake returned her shocked gaze, unable to believe her eyes. Yang looked over her partner, who had changed her attire. Instead of her usual black vest and white shorts, she now sported plain clothing similar to that of the townspeople. More importantly, her bow was missing, her cat ears in plain sight.

"Yang!" Blake cried out, dropping her weapons - not Gambol Shroud, but two simple swords. She almost tackled Yang as she leaped forward, hugging her partner and burying her head in her shoulder. "I missed you," Blake said, tears beginning to form.

Yang returned the hug, pulling Blake close. "Missed you too, Balkey," Yang replied. Then she winced as a sword slashed across her back. Her aura blocked the damage, but it stung.

"Maybe continue this later?" Yang suggested, "We're sort of in a battle."

The two released each other. Wiping her eyes quickly, Blake nodded. Her eyes hardened as she replied, "Yeah."

When the bandit tried to cut Yang again, she spun around, grabbing his sword in an armored hand. Her eyes blazed red before she tightened her grip and Ember Celica crushed the weaker metal of the sword, shattering it. The bandit's look of shock was quickly erased when Yang's other fist slammed into his face, sending him flying backward. Yang grinned and slammed her fists together, triggering a burst of fire. Her golden mane flowing behind her, she began her assault, brutally punching her way through the gathered bandits.

Beside her, Blake burst into motion as well. While her borrowed swords were not Gambol Shroud, they did the trick, even if she had to adapt her fighting style. More than once she instinctively tried to shoot someone out of melee range, or throw a sword before she restrained herself. Without the ability to cleave straight through armor, she was forced to target weak spots between the bandits' armor. That didn't stop her from being a force of destruction. Blake expertly twisted her blades, finding flesh through the best defenses the bandits could muster. Dodging their clumsy blows, Blake cut them down.

The townspeople rallied behind Blake, surging to attack the bandits with resounding yells. They didn't know who the newcomer was, but she was beating the bandits up, so they considered her an ally. Behind the two unstoppable huntresses-in-training, the citizens of Italica pushed the bandits back.

"Xiao Long! Assist me!" Vela yelled from her position on the wall. Yang heard the command and looked at Blake, who nodded. She punched the floor, shaking the nearby bandits away, before jumping at Blake, who kneeled down and placed her hands one over the other. Yang stepped on the platform as her partner threw her hands up, catapulting Yang to the top of the wall. She landed easily on her feet, coming to a stop beside Vela.

"Whoa," she couldn't help but exclaim. Beside Yang, Vela was standing tall as she channeled her semblance. Her dress was flaring yellow and red as she continually released her power, making it seem as though she was wearing liquid fire.

"Fire upon the bandits!" Vela said, her voice straining. Holding the barrier was taking a toll on her strength.

Yang looked over the wall and through the barrier, where a small army of bandits was gathered, attempting to cut their way through. She cocked her Ember Celica before realizing, "Wait, won't your shield block it?"

"The barrier is one-way," Vela growled, "Fire! I cannot hold forever."

"Got it!" Yang agreed. Jumping onto the edge of the wall, she began firing, looking as though throwing punches at the air. Each forward strike sent rockets flying out of her gauntlets, which passed through the shield and blew the bandits apart. Each pullback reloaded her guns, ejecting each spent cartridge as it did.

When most of the bandits were defeated, Vela released her semblance. The blazing wall of fire vanished in an instant, leaving no trace of its existence. Vela's clothing spluttered out as well. She would have collapsed, if not for her staff, which she leaned on.

"You okay?" Yang asked, stepping back.

"I am fine," Vela replied, breathing deeply, "Just drained. I will recover."

Blake appeared on the wall, having climbed up. When she saw that there were no bandits left, she dropped her swords. The adrenaline from the battle wearing off, she once more tackled Yang, hugging and refusing to let go. Yang returned the hug, muttering into Blake's ears, "I'm here."

Caught up in their reunion, they failed to notice Vela's frown as her gaze landed on Blake's additional pair of ears.

* * *

A/N: I enjoyed writing this chapter. Its been too long since I had the chance to bring in the 'rule of cool' and utterly destroy an army.

In canon, Oobleck did very little fighting onscreen, and we don't even know what weapon(s) Tai uses. As such, I've taken quite a few liberties in their weapons and fighting capabilities. Antiquity's Roast is the canon name, by the way.


	10. Chapter 10: Reunion

**Chapter 10: Reunion**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

* * *

After repeated requests, General Ironwood has finally allowed selected citizens of Falmart to enter Remnant to talk about their lives at Alnus village, as well as to provide insight on the workings of their world. In three days, they will arrive in Vale, more specifically, Beacon Academy. There, they will be asked questions in front of the camera to be broadcasted live around the world. Stay tuned!

Furthermore, General Ironwood has reported that several of our missing citizens have been rescued, and rescue teams have been sent to retrieve the many more that have been located. It seems that he has made good on his promise to recover these victims.

In other news, there is talk about restarting the canceled Vytal Festival tournament, which was interrupted by the opening of the Gate.

* * *

"Rory? Can I ask you something?"

Rory turned her head to look at Ruby, walking alongside her on their way back to the Formal mansion. After defeating the bandits, they were meeting back up with the others, back at the mansion. However, Ruby had seemed troubled the entire time.

"What is it?"

"We..." Ruby seemed hesitant, "We killed a lot of people back there. They were bad guys, but... don't you think there must be a better way?"

"Bandits do not deserve your mercy. They murder and pillage without end. The world is better without them," Rory replied.

Ruby seemed to get agitated, her hands fidgeting. "How are you so calm? So many died."

"Death is a part of life, Ruby," Rory replied. "As the Apostle of the God of Death, I have come to terms with death. Besides, after as long as I have lived, you get used to it."

"You don't look older than me," Ruby pointed out.

Rory smirked, "We Apostles are immortal, and our bodies stop aging once we are chosen. I may not look it, but I am 961 years old."

"Woah."

"I'll appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else, though. Anyway, that's why slaying these mortals means little to me. For their crimes, they deserve to die."

"But... how can we just judge them like that? We are all human. Maybe there's something we don't know," Ruby protested.

Rory shrugged, unconcerned "I'm immortal," she reminded, "I get to decide their fate. And you, despite your age, are far more skilled than they." Noticing Ruby's concerned expression, Rory added, "If killing others bothers you so much, I'm afraid I cannot help. Just remember, death is a part of life."

Ruby gave a sad smile, "Thanks for the talk, anyway."

"Now, go find your friends," Rory told her. The two had arrived at the mansion. "I'll join you later; there's something I want to see first."

* * *

"Winter, I'm so happy to see you!" Weiss began excitedly, before remembering who she was talking to and collecting herself with an, "Oh." She said with a curtsey in a much calmer voice, "Your presence honors us."

Winter's black-gloved hands were held behind her back as she walked towards Weiss and Tai. A pair of Altesian Knights followed at a short distance behind her. "Weiss. What are you doing here?"

"One of my teammates, Blake, went missing during the initial opening of the Gate. We tracked her here," Weiss replied, with Tai nodding to confirm. "And you?"

"I am the leader of recon team three."

Noticing that the response told her nothing, Weiss waited for elaboration. When none came, she prompted, "And why are you here? In Italica?"

"Classified."

"Of course," Weiss accepted with a nod. She had long ago learned to adapt to her sister's slightly more formal and strict ways after she had joined the military.

Apparently done with talking to her sister, Winter turned to Tai, "You are the father of Weiss' teammate, yes?"

"I am. Ruby and Yang."

"I see. I would like you to bring the team back to Remnant. I will not have these students fall in battle."

Weiss looked up at her older sister in befuddlement. "But, we won!"

"Only a novice would refer to that as a victory," Winter corrected. "I counted at least three strikes missed." She turned to her robotic guard behind her as Weiss bowed her head in slight shame. "Leave us," Winter instructed the AK-200s, and the androids obeyed, stepping back to allow the sisters a more private conversation. Tai too stepped back. Winter sighed and frowned. "This place is dangerous."

"I know," Weiss replied, meeting her sister's gaze, "But I would conquer any challenge to rescue my teammate, and so would you."

For the first time since the start of the conversation, Winter smiled, "Perhaps."

"Sorry to interrupt, but we need to go. Vela's waiting for me before talking to the Princess," Tai called out.

The name drew a reaction from Winter. "Fauxen?"

"Yeah," Tai confirmed.

Winter seemed to acknowledge that, then followed up with, "Who is this Princess?"

"Princess Pina Co Lada of the Empire," Tai replied, smirking, "I'm assuming you'll want to see her as well."

"I do." Turning back to her sister, Winter said, "We shall talk later, Weiss. Mr. Xiao Long, bring me to this Pina."

* * *

Team RWBY was finally reunited in one of the guest rooms of the Formal mansion. For the first time in weeks, the four could come together.

Blake and Yang arrived first, the former immediately slumping onto one of the four beds prepared for them. Ruby burst into the room not much later, charging in with a burst of rose petals. Blake, having sat up when she heard her leader's approach, was once again slammed onto her back when Ruby barreled into her. Weiss followed, her expression stern but softening up as she saw that Blake was unharmed.

"Yeah! Team RWBY's back together!" Yang cheered as Weiss closed the door and sat down.

"Thanks for coming for me, guys," Blake said, struggling a little to breathe as Ruby tried to crush her ribs.

"What are friends for, right?" Yang cheerily replied. Then, in a more somber tone, "Everything alright?"

Blake smiled, "I'm fine, thanks for asking. Ruby, please let go. I can't breathe."

Reluctantly, Ruby released Blake from her grip and wiped at her eyes.

"Good to have you back, Blake," Weiss added.

"I'm sorry, Blake!" Ruby suddenly burst out. "All this is my fault."

"What? No, it's not," Blake replied.

"It totally is! I'm the leader! I should have prevented you from getting captured," Ruby whined.

"It's fine, Ruby," Blake reassured, "I overextended, not you. Besides, I'm back now, unhurt."

"Blake's right. No point assigning blame; she fine, that's all that matters," Weiss added, taking Ruby's hand in a reassuring manner.

"Alright!" Yang exclaimed, placing her arm around Blake, "So, what happened to you? Does anyone hurt you? Is there someone who needs to be punched in the face?"

Blake laughed for a moment before realizing, "Oh, yes. Art."

"Where is he? I'll punch him!"

"What? No, he helped me escape!" Blake frantically explained.

"Oh," Yang said, visibly calming down, "And did he escape?"

Blake shook her head, "No, he distracted them for me. We should find him. I must repay him."

"That shouldn't be a problem. We are supposed to looking for other survivors anyway. We'll just let Vela know," Weiss agreed.

"Vela?"

"Ozpin sent her with us. Retired Huntress, and our temporary leader," Ruby explained. "She talking to Pina now."

"But Blake, before you do this... Would you like to go home first?"

"I-" would like to go home, Blake almost said, but did she? In Italica, she had felt alone, and vulnerable, but she did no longer. Not because she was back within the safe walls of Beacon Academy, but because of those around her. Her team. "I'm already home."

"Aww, thanks Blakey," Yang cheered, pulling her into a hug. Ruby joined in immediately, shouting, "Team hug!"

The three looked at Weiss.

"Fine," she said, rolling her eyes, but she had a faint smile as the sisters pulled her in.

* * *

The bandits had been utterly destroyed, and the townspeople were happy to have won and survived. There was still mourning and rebuilding to be done, but now was a time for celebration. As they cheered and celebrated their survival, Pina and her aide were once again in the Formal mansion. This time, instead of the more experienced soldiers acting as her generals, she was facing just three people. Vela Fauxen and Taiyang Xiao Long, as they had introduced themselves, and the Apostle of Emroy, Rory Mercury herself.

The true winners of the Battle of Italica.

And she owed them payment.

"So," Pina cautiously began, "I would like to express my gratitude for your assistance in this battle. Without your help, Italica would surely have fallen." Taking a deep breath, Pina asked the question that had been eating away at her, "What compensation do you desire?"

Vela stepped forward to reply. "We want information. You are aware of the Empire's attempted invasion of Vale, correct?"

"The world beyond the Gate? I didn't know it had a name," Pina replied evenly. Mentally, she began to panic. Had these mercenaries already been hired by the Empire's enemy? That made them her enemy, but remembering their frightening display of power, Pina could only gulp in fear.

"So you have heard of it. Excellent. During that attack, many citizens were kidnapped and brought beyond the Gate, to Falmart. We are here to locate and rescue them."

So they were indeed sent by the enemies who had taken control of Alnus. Pina decided to get to the point, "So, what exactly do you want from me?"

"You are the princess of the Empire. Use your connections, find those taken. Return them if possible, or tell us where they are so that we can retrieve them ourselves."

That wasn't too bad, Pina mused. "Very well. It will be done," she nodded, "But how do we contact you when we do find someone?"

"Just send a messenger to Alnus. Shouldn't be a problem," Vela replied, "I'll give you a list of names and descriptions before we leave."

"Of course. If that is all, I have an offer for you."

"Oh?"

Pina explained, "As you can tell, the Empire is at war with this... Vale. Their power is far greater than our own. But with your help, I believe that we may stand a chance against them. So, what say you? I will pay any amount of gold to acquire your aid."

Vela raised a hand to request that Tai keep silent. "Who do you think we are, Princess?" she asked.

"You're mercenaries from a foreign land, yes?" Pina asked, confused, "And Vale hired you to recover their citizens."

Rory openly laughed as Vela gave an amused smile before replying, "Not quite. We're from Vale, Pina. Your armies attacked my home."

Pina buried her face in her hands and groaned. Meekly, she asked, "Did I just ask you to attack your own people?"

"Yes," Vela replied, promoting another groan from Pina, who was embarrassed beyond words. Taking advantage of Pina's state, Vela continued, "Do me a favor and we shall never speak of this again."

Pina shot up. "Yes. Anything."

"There is someone who wants to see you."

As if on cue, the doors opened up and Winter walked in, flanked by a pair of Atlesian Knights. "Greetings, Princess Pina. I am Atlas specialist Winter Schnee. I represent Atlas, an allied kingdom to Vale. On behalf of General Ironwood, I would like to invite-"

"You're with the 'Men in White'! Tell me, are the rumors true? Did you kill the flame dragon?" Pina exclaimed, noticing the white-armored robots.

Winter frowned at the interruption, but replied evenly, "We have been called that, yes. But we did not kill the dragon, we merely injured and drove it away."

Pina's ewes widened. Defeating a flame dragon was already an impossible feat, even if it wasn't killed.

"As I was saying, General Ironwood would like to invite you to Remnant, to talk about your Empire's attempted invasion of Vale," Winter concluded.

That topic again. "If I refuse?" Pina asked cautiously.

"That is up to you. Just note that, if we do not come to a compromise, we will not hold back." Winter ended ominously.

How could Pina refuse? The Men in White, who the Empire had made enemies of, were too powerful. These enemies, who had injured and driven the legendary flame dragon away. These enemies, who had taken control of Alnus, who wielded mastery over fire, who had exterminated in an instant those bandits that had troubled Italica. She had no choice.

"I accept."

* * *

"- and that's how I escaped," Blake concluded her story, her team sitting quietly around her.

"So you have no idea what happened to him? Unfortunate," Vela said. When she had heard that Blake had been with Art, she had demanded to know everything. As such, Blake had told her what she knew and showed her the knife that Art had entrusted to her.

Now, Vela was absentmindedly running her thumb over the engravings on the knife while she sat, deep in thought.

"So, you're in charge of FORT?" Blake asked.

"I am."

"Then I would like to ask that we go after him. I have a debt to repay," Blake said.

"No. You're going back to Remnant," Vela denied.

"But-"

"No arguments. The four of you are returning to Vale. I will not have you in my sight for any longer."

Balke frowned at that. It was as though Bela had something against her, personally. And as much as running back to Remnant seemed like a solid plan, she had had enough of that. "I will not abandon the person who saved me."

"I don't care. Return to Remnant at once," Vela ordered sternly. Then, more reassuringly, "I will personally go after Art, and see no rest until he is safe. Go home. Rest, recover, and allow me to bear this responsibility."

"Thank you," Blake began, "But-"

"You students should never have gotten involved in this. I have a daughter about your age, and I know what you are thinking. There will be no arguments," Vela thundered, "You return tomorrow morning with third recon. Prepare your belongings." With that, Vela turned and left.

As she did, three others entered the room. The first was Rory Mercury with her halberd, but the other two were female strangers to team RWBY. Both seemed about their age. One had blue hair and matching eyes. She wore a green dress, blue boots and wielded a staff with a blue wing on it. The other was blonde, with blue eyes. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt and thin blue jeans. Most interesting about the latter were her elongated ears.

Before anyone could introduce themselves, Rory began to speak in a sing-song voice, "Oh, Blake! Explain yourself! We do not take kindly to pretenders." Her voice faded to a threatening tone as use spoke, causing RWBY to tense up.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh? Your deceit, of course. Why did you pretend to be the Apostle of Duncan, God of Blacksmithing?" Rory explained.

"I did what?"

Rory slammed her halberd on the ground, splintering the wood, "The men you fought with rallied behind the Apostle of Duncan, who claimed the blacksmith's swords and made them her own. Who infused the blades with divine power and made them unbreakable. Who happened to be a teenaged cat-eared beauty."

"I didn't know!" Blake protested.

Rory didn't seem to belive that, drawing her halberd towards Blake. Blake stared back ta her, and Rory seemed to see something within that gaze. "Wait, seriously?"

"How could she?" Yang stepped in, "Without a translator, Blake wouldn't even understand them."

"She's right. I just wanted to help defend the people. I guess they assumed that I was a... what, an Apostle? When they saw me fight," Blake deduced.

"Huh. Well then, if it wasn't intentional, I guess I could forgive you," Rory decided. "Just don't do it again."

With that situation over, the conversation turned to the two newcomers. They introduced themselves as Tuka and Lelei.

"Are you a faunus?" Blake asked, immediately noticing Tuka's ears, "I've never seen anyone with such ears."

Tuke seemed taken aback, but quickly realized that they were looking at her elongated ears. "No? I don't know what a faunus is, but I'm an elf," she replied.

"Elf?"

"Elves are one of the longest-lived species on Falmart," Lelei provided, as though reading from a book, "They are skilled archers and wield spirit magic. Tuka is also good with the harp."

"I'm not that good... I don't have enough practice," Tuka protested.

Emotionless, Lelei restated, "Tuka is good with the harp."

Before Tuka could continue, Ruby finally noticed what Lelei was holding. "Oh, you have a staff! Does it do anything?" she asked, leaning forward.

"This? My staff helps me channel my magic."

"What? Magic isn't real, silly," Ruby said.

Lelei didn't seem offended. In her calm tone, she explained, "Perhaps not in your world, but magic definitely exists in Falmart."

"Show us, then!" Yang suggested.

Lelei shrugged. Raising her staff, she closed her eyes and concentrated. A ball of fire formed in the air above the tip of her staff, whipping up a light wind within the room that caused her dress to flap.

"Looks like a semblance," Blake pointed out.

"There are no semblances here, on Falmart," Lelei said, her magic fireball vanishing. "To us, your semblances are magic. It makes me wonder what other everyday items you have that defy our knowledge of the world."

"Maybe you can show us around your world," Rory suggested, "It'll be fun. Maybe I'll see just what you can do."

"It would be our honor," Weiss replied, and the rest of RWBY eagerly agreed.

* * *

"They're coming to us? A week of trying to get past Atlas security and suddenly they're coming to us? What a waste of energy."

"Not like you did much, anyway."

"Calm down, you two. This is the perfect opportunity for us to find out more about this 'Falmart'. She will be pleased." As she spoke, an evil smirk appeared on her face, lit by the magical fire in her hand.

* * *

A/N: 'Yes, I know that when I'm with you I'm at home' - Home by Jeff Williams, RWBY Volume 4.

I'm sorry if the reunion scene was short. I'm not good at writing stuff like that.

Aura has been canonically confirmed to be able to shield weapons as well, making even low-quality swords relatively unbreakable in the hands of an aura user (like Blake). I chose her to be misunderstood as Duncan's Apostle because she doesn't come close to fitting any other god/ess, except for Hardy and Emroy, the two god/esses who have known Apostles. Which is awkward.

Also, for IRL reasons, updates will be slowing down.


	11. Chapter 11: Through the Gate

**Chapter 11: Through the Gate**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

* * *

Approval has been given by the council to restart the Vytal Festival Tournament. In these uncertain times, it will be a grand display of unity between the four kingdoms. While the main tournament section is only expected to begin in about a week, the exhibition matches will begin in a few days, to give viewers a taste of the action to come!

In the meantime, General Ironwood, Headmaster Ozpin, and the council are preparing to meet the guests from Falmart, reportedly including Princess Pina Co Lada, princess of the Empire.

As for those who had been unfortunately kidnapped during the invasion, many of them have already been rescued due to the hard work of the forces on Falmart. They are being brought to Beacon Academy, where medical professionals have prepared their equipment to give them the best possible care.

* * *

With the dawn of a new day, third and fourth recon and their guests began preparations to return to Alnus hill and subsequently, Vale.

They gathered in the courtyard of the Formal mansion, where the servants had gathered to see them off. Somehow, the townspeople had gotten word of the upcoming departure of the 'Men in White'. A good part of Italica's population was now gathering around the mansion. They were excited and boisterous, still celebrating their victory with an excessive amount of food and drink.

Right on time, Pina and her knights arrived, dressed in elegant attire. They marched in formation to the waiting convoy. Leaving her escorts further back, Pina walked up to Winter alone.

"Are you ready to leave?" she asked, out of courtesy, despite the answer being obvious.

"My carriage is ready," Pina confirmed, and Winter seems to find that amusing.

"Perhaps we should use our vehicle instead," she said, diplomatically, "It would be a quicker journey."

Pina blinked. She had never even considered that they would be willing to give her a lift. Their vehicles would probably be faster and safer, given their advanced technology. Decision made, she replied, "Of course. A most generous offer."

That provoked an outcry from her forces, especially her loud-mouthed aide, "What? There's no way I'll let you go into enemy territory alone. I'll follow you!"

As one, the rest of the knights and guards proclaimed their intention to follow her.

"Very well. Bozes will come and support me. The rest of you, stay here and supervise the town. I will be fine," Pina shut their protests down quickly, before she could change her mind. Turning to the waiting Winter, she said, "I apologize for that. So, shall we leave?"

She gave a small nod and gestured for Pina and Bozes to enter the closest jeep, which had its rear ramp open. Walking over, Pina paused outside it, nerves suddenly overwhelming her.

"Don't worry, it's safe," a voice called out. Looking up, she saw Tuka, and Lelei already waiting for her. Pushing her doubts aside, Pina stepped in, the ramp closing behind her. Rory and RWBY must be in the other.

Pina then realized that Vela and Oobleck were outside the vehicles, apparently with no intention of leaving. "Are they coming with us?" she asked Winter.

"Fauxen and Oobleck will not be joining us. They have another task to see to," Winter replied.

With a barely noticeable jolt, the two jeeps began their journey back to Alnus. Around them, the townspeople cheered and waved at their departing saviors. They were treated like heroes, Pina realized. If the 'Men in White' decided to take Italica by force, the townspeople would more likely welcome them with open arms than try to stand against them. That realization gave the Princess a chill.

As it were, the Empire had no chance of winning a war against them. Either they had to make peace... or she had to find a way to even the odds.

* * *

Pina couldn't believe how quickly they were moving. Easily a few times as fast as a galloping horse, the metal vehicles arrived at Alnus within hours of departing Italica. A mounted messenger would have taken days to cover the distance.

Now that Alnus Hill was in sight, Pina and Bozes couldn't help but stare out of the windows. Though the hill had been considered sacred, it was now little more than a mass graveyard, with thousands of corpses lying, decaying, amid the battle-scorched land. Sweat rolled down the two royals as they looked at the remains of the Colation Army. Much of the land had been scorched by flame and massive craters pocketed the area. For such a powerful force to have been so utterly destroyed would require immense might.

"Just what are the Men in White's mages capable of?" Bozes muttered, surveying the damage, already sounding uneasy.

Lelei, seated beside her, overheard and couldn't help but reply, "From what I have discovered, they call their magic 'Aura'. They use it as a barrier to protect themselves. It also can manifest into a 'Semblance', which is unique to each individual."

Bozes frowned upon hearing the mage's words, "That means... every one of them is capable of using magic? Is that the secret to their abilities?"

"I believe so," Lelei confirmed.

Mages in the Empire were rare, and even a few skilled ones could level armies. If every one of these strangers were a mage, their combined power was unimaginable. Pina gulped in fear, then realized something. The Men in White trusted Lelei enough to share their knowledge with her. Hence, she began questioning the mage in earnest, "What can their weapons do?"

Lelei looked confused but did her best to reply, "I'm not certain. Most of their weapons are known as mechashift weapons, meaning that a sword can also be a bow or what they call a 'gun'. They use some kind of 'dust' as ammunition to propel a metal projectile at great speeds, but it seems to have other uses as well. I still have much to learn."

"A sword... that's also a bow?"

"It's also a gun," Lelei added, nodding, "Perhaps some may be willing to demonstrate their weapons for us."

Mulling over this information, Pina muttered, "If we can learn to create these weapons ourselves, the Empire would be unstoppable. Maybe we may even be able to face down Vale."

Once again, Lelei proved that her hearing was exceptional, "That would be meaningless. While some minerals similar to Dust exist on Falmart, I believe that they cannot be used to power such weapons. It would be impossible for us to activate them, let alone recreate the metals used to construct them. Furthermore, they employ a variety of war machines," Lelei said, gesturing around them.

Looking around, the group realized that they were now within the Altesian fortifications. Around them was a sea of white, military fortifications. Pina gasped with mouth wide open as a pair of Altesian Paladins trundled past the window. A shadow then cast the vehicle into darkness, causing the Princess to glance up. Her mouth dropped lower as a pair of Altesian Bullheads flew by, on their way to some important mission. Everywhere, white painted Altesian Knights patrolled, forming the bulk of the army.

"This does not even include the Hunters and Huntresses of Remant," Lelei casually added, making Pina gulp again.

"Hunters?"

"On Remnant, there is some kind of malevolent creature known as 'Grimm'. Hunters are specially trained from a young age to combat this threat. Even those in training can defeat multiple opponents at once, and I believe that the best could defeat entire armies," Lelei speculated, "The Empire has no chance against them."

"How can you talk like that when the Empire is in danger?" Bozes yelled, unhappy at the mage's casual condemnation of the Empire.

Lelei shrugged. Wearing her usual emotionless expression, she replied, "I am of the nomadic Rurudo Clan. The Empire's well-being has nothing to do with me."

Tuka, who had been listening in, added, "I'm an elf!"

Rory simply chuckled and gripped her weapon, getting her point across without a single word.

The conversation ended there, but Pina's mind raced. That man, Doctor Oobleck, must have been a Huntsman. He had wielded absolute mastery over fire, wiping out the bandits at Italics. If he was trained to fight the Grimm, just what were they, to necessitate such power? And even with such a looming threat, Remnant had prospered. They were far beyond the Empire.

The jeep came to a stop, within the heart of the fortifications on Alnus. Winter exited, the girls quickly following her lead. From the other jeep, Tai and RWBY disembarked as well. Standing in front of the gate, ready to step into a different world, Pina and the girls felt equally excited and afraid.

Tai took the lead, vanishing into the gate first. Pina hesitated for only a moment before she followed him, the others shortly behind.

They crossed between the universes in seconds, arriving at the other side of the universe as they stepped out of the stone structure.

"Welcome to Vale," Tai declared.

As her eyes adjusted to the sudden sunlight, Pina found that she had no words to describe what she saw once she crossed the gate.

Before them was a castle unlike any other. The long, wide avenue they were deposited on opened up to what appeared to be the main gate and a large amphitheater surrounded by a double ring of colonnades bisected by the main avenue. The outer ring rose high over the main entrance to the academy itself, with a number of impressive aqueduct-like features and archways.

Directly in front of them, a large statue drew their attention. It was a detailed carving of two people, one male and one female, both armed. Their pose displayed them triumphantly standing over a cowering beast. It looked like a wolf, but with a more terrifying visage and larger, deadlier claws. Was that one of the Grimm that plagued the land?

All that surrounded an immense tower, which was surmounted by a number of green lights. It's peak stretched far into the clouds, forcing Pina to crane her neck to take it all in.

But what was behind it came as a larger surprise: a massive, circular colosseum, rivaling the size of any in the Empire. The difference was that this one floated high in the air, constructed on an artificial island. At its base was a crystal, the size of which never seen before.

Pina found herself staring, open-mouthed. The others had the same reaction, staring mutely in awe around them.

After giving the girls some time to take it in, Tai began to talk. "Alright. Princess Pina, Bozes, please take this jeep," he said, pointing at the nearby vehicle. "It'll take you to the General and Ozpin. Rory, Tuka, and Lelei, I'll need to bring you to the medical staff. Sorry, but they really want to make sure that you're healthy," he finished apologetically.

"What about us?" Yang asked.

"You, Ruby and Weiss are returning to your dorm," Tai stated.

"What? But-"

"No buts. You've been through a lot. Have a break. You'll need it if you want to show them around Vale tomorrow. Besides, I'm sure your friends are worried about you," Tai said.

Ruby gasped, "You're right! JNPR must be freaking out!"

Tai took that as confirmation. "Go now. I'll tell JNPR you're back. Blake, the doctors want to see you, too."

* * *

"Alright, Blake," Professor Thumbelina Peach, teacher of Plant Science and also head doctor of Beacon, told her. "Your aura held up fine, so there's really nothing to be worried about. Just rest well for a few days and everything should be fine."

"Thanks, professor."

"No worries. If anything develops, report it immediately. Also, I want you back here first thing tomorrow, just in case. Now, go find your team. I'm busy," Peach said, chasing her away. With Blake taken care of, she turned to the more intriguing matter at hand: Rory, Tuka, and Lelei.

The basic checks had shown that the three were healthy, at least by human standards. But with the help of the equipment brought in by the General and his doctors - whose presence Peach merely tolerated - she was able to run a whole variety of other tests before she had to let the girls back to their business.

The results were interesting, to say the least. Starting with the Apostle, her genetic makeup had a distinctly recognizable human base, much of it had been modified, partially responsible for her strength and regenerative capabilities. However, it did not explain her longevity, nor could it fully account for her powers. The doctors and researchers eventually concluded that some form of magic was at work as well, having found what they believe to be traces of it in her cells.

As for Tuka, the elf, her genetic makeup was similar to that of humans. The difference was that her genes had given her cells an increased capacity to rebuild themselves, which enabled them to live far longer than humans. A side effect was the elongated ears, which were a curious phenomenon. They served no recognizable purpose and were of no apparent benefit, so it was extremely illogical for the extensions to exist. The doctors made notes to question her about it.

As for Lelei, the mage, her genetic structure was distinctively human. The surprising part was her aura. The reports had stated that no one on Falmart had even heard of aura, so the presence of the shield around her was a shock to them all. Almost identical to a Hunter's aura, Lelei had a transparent shield protecting her passively. When asked, Lelei had told them that it was a defensive spell, taught to all mages as the first spell they learned. Yet its similarity to the aura that shielded the Huntsmen could not be ignored. From this, they speculated - if Lelei had indeed unlocked her aura, did she have a semblance? Did magic play a part in it?

Biology wasn't the only science that benefitted from the new world. Professor Harold Mulberry, the teacher of Weapon Crafting and Upkeep, was elated with his new toys: dragon scales. From samples of the flame dragon's scales that third recon managed to recover, and that of the defeated wyverns, he found the source of their fire resistance. Their molecular structure was extremely compact and efficiently arranged in a way that pushed the limits of physics, providing both durability and heat dispersal that could withstand intense temperatures. More surprising was that the structure was unlikely to have been developed naturally, through evolution, but pointed towards either genetic modification or the intervention of 'magic'. Already, Harold had many, many designs and tests in mind for this exotic material, but he barely had any to begin with. Unless the scales could be harvested from the flame dragon itself, the situation was unlikely to change.

* * *

"Another world?" a girl's voice behind them demanded before Ruby, Weiss, and Yang even made it to their dorm. They turned to see their friends, JNPR, approaching. Nora cried out, "You're going adventuring without us? I'm hurt! Sad!" Her stomach growled. "Maybe a little hungry? That last one's not your fault though… Ren," she finished pointedly as she turned to her teammate, who merely turned away and focused on RW_Y.

"Good to see you back safely," the quiet man told the girls while ignoring his partner.

"Hey, where's Blake?" Jaune asked.

"She's in the medical wing," Ruby casually replied. Seeing the fearful look on JNPR's faces, she quickly added, "No, no, she fine! The doctors just wanted to make sure!"

"Ruby! Don't scare us like that!" Jaune complained.

Ruby giggled sheepishly before Phyrra said, "Well, I'm sure you have quite the story to tell."

"Oooh, did you break any legs? Tell me!"

Weiss noticed the sharp intake of breath from her leader at that sentence. "We're very tired, Nora. Maybe tomorrow," she deflected, motioning for Yang to unlock their dorm room door. Nora pouted, but Ren held her back, noticing that something was wrong.

"Have a good rest," Jaune said before JNPR turned to return to their dorm. Just then, Jaune remembered something, "Wait, about Zw-"

RWBY's door slammed shut in his face. They entered the familiar room but had barely managed to step in before the deadliest animal on Remnant tackled them.

Zwei.

The corgi slammed into Ruby almost hard enough to knock her off her feet. She managed to catch him in her arms, where Zwei barked at her.

"I'm so sorry, Zwei, I completely forgot about you!" Ruby apologized, holding the corgi as she sat onto her bed.

"So, what's wrong?" Weiss finally decided that it was time to ask.

"It's nothing," Ruby replied, hunching down as though trying to hide behind Zwei. The corgi barked.

Yang joined in, "Oh, come on, Rubes. Even Ren could tell that something's bothering you."

"It's fine, alright? It's something I need to talk to Qrow about."

Weiss and Yang looked at each other. "Alright then," the latter replied, "But if you need help, we'll always be here."

"Thanks, guys," Ruby said before a yawn snuck past her. "We probably should get some rest."

They went to bed, soon joined by Blake when she returned from the doctor. But none of them could truly sleep. Too much was on their minds.

Ruby, as she had been for weeks, was conflicted about the wanton death and suffering the Gate had brought to both Remnant and Falmart alike. And her part in it. Rory had tried to help her, but could not. Her uncle Qrow would know what to do.

Weiss was thinking of the demihuman species at Italica. Just like her father's company, the humans were dominant and the nonhumans in lesser roles. She had also overheard some people talking about goblins - a humanoid species considered to be pests. Where, then, was the line separating men from animals?

Blake hesitated to sleep. She had run away. Again. Even if she was technically forced away, she felt that the fault was still on her. Given an easy, familiar way out, she had taken it. As she always had. And her guilt, in the form of memories of a red-clad man, was consuming her mind.

Yang felt all this. Her sister's fear, the Schnee heiress' uncertainty, and her partner's guilt. And despite all her strength, she was helpless to assist them, to lighten the burdens that weighed them all down. To protect her team, she had to get stronger.

It was a long time before team RWBY managed to fall into a light, dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: The professors are canon, confirmed in After the Fall, according to the RWBY wiki.

From an evolutionary standpoint, the elves' elongated ears are stupid. The human ears' shape is designed to maximize sound collection. But elves? It is most certainly not effective in that role, neither does it seem to serve any other function.


	12. Chapter 12: Vale Part 1

**Chapter 12: Vale**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

* * *

The identity of the guests from Falmart have been confirmed. They are Tuka Luna Marceau, an elvan survivor of the flame dragon, Lelei La Lalena, a human mage, Rory Mercury, an Apostle, and Pina Co Lada, Princess of the Saderan Empire and her aide, Bozes Co Palesti.

While their exact schedule is still classified, it is believed that the Princess will first meet with the council to discuss political issues between the two worlds, before the other girls enlighten the public to the mysteries of Falmart, most likely at some point during the Vytal Festival Tournament.

* * *

The location of the talks between Princess Pina and the Council had been debated extensively. Ozpin wanted it in Beacon. Ironwood wanted it in Mantle, or at least his flagship, the Hyperion. The other members all wanted it in their own city. Then, they realized that a solution was right in their face.

"Welcome to Amity Colosseum," Winter declared, stepping off the bullhead. The exhibition matches were only scheduled to begin the next day, so the massive structure had only a skeleton maintenance crew on board, as well as a good number of Knights to act as security. Behind her, Pina and Bozes exited the airship as well, the latter looking slightly uncomfortable. Pina was physically fine, but her mind was once again overwhelmed. Standing on the flying colosseum made it seem even larger than it had looked on the ground. The sheer amount of resources needed to construct such a thing was unheard of. Winter continued,"A collaborative effort between all four kingdoms of Remnant, Amity represents the unification of kingdoms after the end of the Great War. It-"

"How does something this size fly? Without wings?" Bozes blurted out. Her face was pale, as though she expected the entire stadium to come crashing down at any moment.

"Gravity dust," Winter explained, frowning at the interruption as she motioned for them to follow her into the colosseum. "I presume you saw the giant crystal at its base? One of the largest pieces of gravity dust ever mined. Its power had kept the place afloat for eighty years, and will continue to do so for a hundred more."

Pina perked up at the mention of war. Her training kicking in, she asked, "What is this war you speak of?"

Unfortunately, her answer was, "Perhaps it would be better to allow the Council to explain that."

"And who exactly is this council?" Pina asked, disappointed but not surprised by the answer.

"The Council is the ruling body that runs the Kingdoms. Each Kingdom has one, in charge of policies and decisions," Winter's explanation ended as they reached a door. She tapped her scroll on the scanner, and the door slid open. "Please, enter. They're waiting for you."

With a nod to Winter, Pina entered the room, where the most powerful people on Remnant awaited.

The room was large, with one entire wall made of glass that allowed a breathtaking view of wherever the Colosseum was situated. Right now, flying over Vale, Beacon Academy and its surroundings could be seen - and Beacon Tower reached almost as high as Amity itself.

The room itself was plain grey, much unlike the brightly decorated corridors and exterior of the Colosseum. The center of the room was dominated by a large circular table, where two people were seated. One, a middle-aged man with tousled silver hair and sharp facial features, with an outfit mainly consisting of an unzipped black suit over a dark green buttoned vest and shirt. In front of him, on the table where his elbows rested, was a cup of coffee. The other man wore a white overcoat, with a black sweater and gloves. He had a strip of silver metal above his right eyebrow whose function Pina couldn't decern. Around the rest of the table, where others would usually sit, were translucent projections of people.

"Greetings, Princess Pina and Bozes," Ozpin began. "I would like to welcome you to the Amity Colosseum. I am Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy."

The headmaster of the school that trained students who could decimate an army. He must be a very, very powerful man, Pina realized. As though reading her mind, Ozpin gave her a smile, his brown eyes boring into hers. He had the eyes of someone far more experienced than he seemed.

"I am General Ironwood, commander of Atlas military forces and headmaster of Atlas Academy."

The general of the 'Men in White', who had taken down the flame dragon. He commanded a powerful army, one that the Empire had no chance of rivaling.

The other headmasters too introduced themselves - Leonardo of Haven and Theodore of Shade. Pina was also introduced to the various councilmen in charge of the four kingdoms of Remnant, who were unable to physically attend but would join in on the conference from around the world.

How powerful was that magic, to allow people to take part in an event so far away?

"Let's begin," General Ironwood said. The council seemed fine with allowing him to lead the conversation, even if Ozpin didn't. "Princess Pina, the Empire of Falmart recently launched an invasion on Vale through this Gate, which was repelled by my army and the Huntsmen. Despite that, hundreds were killed or injured, and as many missing, presumably captured and brought to Falmart by your army. So tell me: why?"

Under the combined gazes of Remnant's leaders, Pina felt very small. Calling in her training, she tried to find her confidence, and replied, "You see, the Gate is something of a natural occurrence. The Empire simply uses it to... well, for conquest, to acquire new goods."

"So this has happened before? The Empire has attacked other civilizations beyond this Gate in the past?"

"Yes. If you don't mind me asking, what are your plans for the future? Do you intend to conquer more land?" Pina questioned.

The councilmen looked at each other. "Before we answer that," Ironwood said, "Please tell us about the life that exists on Falmart. Are there any particularly... dangerous species or beasts?"

Pina gulped, "The flame dragon would be the most powerful monster that we know of. It is a legendary beast capable of laying waste to armies." And your soldiers defeated it so easily, Pina decided not to add. "There are other legends like the minotaur and manticore, but they cannot be confirmed."

"And the Apostles?" one of the council members asked.

Pina was beginning to see the pattern. They were trying to look for threats on Falmart, presumably before they launched their own invasion. She could try to embellish the danger, but what was the point? Remnant could destroy them. "Well, we don't really know much about them. All I know is that, to become an Apostle, one must be chosen by a god. They are immortal and powerful, capable of battling armies. After a thousand years, they will ascend to godhood, and no one really knows what happens after," Pina replied.

"Are there any other species?"

"There are a variety of lesser races. Demihumans like goblins and ogres, as well as wyverns and wyrms, but the Empire has subdued most of them."

"And... magic?"

"Magic? Mages are rare but powerful. A group of skilled Mages can turn the tide of any battle, but I don't know their exact abilities. You'll have to ask of them," Pina said.

Once more the councilmen looked at each other, before blinking out of existence. "Thank you for the insight, princess," Ironwood said. "While the council discusses this, is there anything you want to know?"

"What is it that you want?" Pina asked once more.

"The council will tell you after their discussion is complete. What I meant is, is there anything about Remnant you would like to know?"

There was one thing. "The Grimm," Pina said, "What are they?"

Ozpin was the one to answer her, "The creatures of Grimm, are beings of pure destruction that lack a soul. For as long as humanity walked the face of Remnant, the Grimm were alongside us. Trying to destroy us. Few know where they come from, or why they seek our annihilation, but the threat they pose is very real. The young are savage and vicious, while the older ones are intelligent and insidious. You should hope you never have to meet them."

And as an image of a Beowolf was projected in front of her, Pina couldn't help but shudder.

* * *

"So, what do you want to do?" Ruby began. RWBY - including Blake, who had returned from Peach with a clean bill of health - was in their dorm room, along with the girls from Falmart, Rory, Lelei, and Tuka. They had thought that Tai would be escorting them, but apparently he was 'busy'.

"This is a warrior school, yes?" Rory asked.

"We are trained to fight here, if that's what you're asking," Blake replied.

"Then I challenge Ruby Rose to single combat!"

"I'm in!" Ruby agreed.

Later, she almost changed her mind when Professor Goodwitch gave her a spine-chilling glare. As always, the combat instructor was in the arena. "Let me get this straight," the stern teacher said, "You're tasked with showing the visitors around Vale, and the first thing you do is fight them?"

"Rory was the one who challenged me," Ruby replied meekly.

"I did," Rory added, "So, shall we begin?"

Glynda sighed. "Very well. Fighters, take your positions. Everyone else, out of the ring."

They did as told, Rory and Ruby moving to opposite sides of the ring and preparing their oversized halberd and scythe respectively. The others retreated to the stands around the arena.

"Alright. Rory Mercury versus Ruby Rose of team RWBY. Standard tournament rules apply: if a fighter's aura level reaches critical or she steps out of the ring, she will lose. Rory, please activate your aura," Glynda said. The aura sensors had locked onto both of the girls. Ruby's was full, while Rory's empty.

"Don't have an aura," Rory casually told her.

"What? Do you know how dangerous this is? Without an aura, you can get seriously hurt!" Glynda chided, "This battle will not continue."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Rory assured. Before Goodwitch could speak, both her and Ruby dashed forward. With blinding speed, the two met in a clash of metal. Ruby, sped up by her semblance, swung Crescent Rose in an upward slash, bypassing Rory's defenses and cutting her arm, drawing first blood.

Glynda gasped at the wound, stepping forward and raising her riding crop. She was about to use her semblance to forcibly separate them when a familiar voice came from behind her, "Let them."

"Ozpin? Rory's getting injured!" Glynda rebuked.

"If you look again, Glynda, she's already healed," Ozpin pointed out, one hand still gripping his ever-present cup. Goodwitch obviously didn't believe him but looked anyway. To her surprise, Rory was uninjured, darting around the arena with all the grace and agility of an aura-boosted Huntress.

"Still, I don't believe that this is a good idea," Glynda muttered, "Dangerous, risky, and most certainly unfair. If Ms. Mercury cannot be hurt, then Ruby is at a severe disadvantage." She glanced at the screen, where Ruby's aura bar was steadily dipping, while Rory's stayed dark. "The only way for Ms. Rose to win is..."

'I have to force Rory out of bounds' Ruby though, spinning her scythe to deflect the halberd strike. In retaliation, she swept Crescent Rose at her opponent's feet, only for Rory to dodge by leaping into the air. With a laugh, she came crashing down, her halberd slicing through a sudden burst of rose petals to slam into the ground hard enough to crack it.

The scythe came in from behind, hooking around her chest, leaving a cut that healed almost instantly. Ruby twisted her body, swinging Crescent Rose in an attempt to forcibly throw Rory out of the ring. Having managed to keep her grip on her halberd, Rory simply dug it into the ground, halting her backward momentum.

She looked back to Ruby, who now had Crescent Rose's scythe tip embedded in the floor. Using the blade as a monopod stand, she let loose with the sniper rifle, firing semi-auto at Rory.

Unused to the concept of firearms, the first bullet took Rory by surprise. It tore through her chest, a fatal wound to any mortal. To the Apostle, however, it was a mere annoyance and a warning of Remnant's deadly weapons. The next few bullets were deflected by her halberd, before Rory leaped forward, intent on forcing melee combat to negate Ruby's range advantage.

Seeing Rory dash over, Ruby quickly prepared her defense. As the Apostle blitzed in, Ruby was prepared, leaping nimbly over the attack while firing a shot at point-blank range. The bullet did little damage but its recoil propelled her several meters away. She twisted in midair and dug the blade back into the ground, coming to land on top of the handle of the scythe. From there, at the very edge of the arena, Ruby looked back at Rory.

Rory laughed, "You certainly have some skill. And your technique is unique." She spun her halberd one-handed as she spoke, before returning to a combat stance.

"Thanks! You're pretty good, too," Ruby replied.

With a smirk, Rory attacked again, this time aiming her halberd at the scythe embedded in the ground. From her position on top of the scythe, Ruby was hard-pressed to counter it. Hopping off, she grabbed Crescent Rose, doing her best to block the blow.

Rory's sheer strength overcame Ruby's defense, sending her flying straight out of the ring. Before she could land, however, Ruby was on her scythe once more, firing a few shots behind her to slow her momentum, before flying back to the arena in a flurry of petals.

Ruby swung her scythe, using her momentum to add power to the attack. Her opponent, however, saw the strike coming and stepped aside, before bringing her halberd to bear upon Ruby. Halberd and scythe clashed once more, and once more Rory's brute strength threw Ruby back.

Her aura dipping, Ruby reconsidered her plan. Rory had no aura to deplete, so she had to force her out of the ring. But from their previous clashes, Rory was much stronger than she was, making it unlikely that she could be simply thrown out. She would have to get in close, Ruby decided, and somehow trip her up.

A few seconds later, they rushed back into battle. This time, it was not a fierce clash of brute force against brute force, but instead, an elegant dance of parries and counterattacks. Back and forth they went across the ring, halberd, and scythe flashing in intricate patterns. The two were little more than dark blurs as they sped up, pushing their abilities to their fullest.

Rory wore a maniacal grin as she dueled Ruby. It had been too long since she had challenged someone who could stand up to her in single combat. Ever since she had become an Apostle, few could give her a good workout, and the bandits that she had recently taken out most certainly were not one of them. Dancing around Ruby's slashes, Rory decided that she like Remnant.

But now it was time to end this. Despite Ruby's unorthodox fighting style, she had an idea. When Ruby attacked again, she hooked the blade of her halberd over the scythe, before twisting and locking the two weapons together. That forced them into a contest of strength, one that both Rory and Ruby knew the outcome of.

Ruby, however, had a way out. With the flick of a switch, Crescent Rose folded up, returning to its smaller storage form. This disengaged the two weapons before she rolled away from the halberd's crushing blow and returning her scythe to its full combat form.

Ruby looked back to her opponent, who suddenly appeared too close for comfort. Once more the two clashed, weapons seeking to wound. To Ruby's surprise, Rory didn't even try to dodge or block. Accepting mortal wounds, she simply allowed Crescent Rose to cut into her while she focused on attacking Ruby. Using her immortality to her advantage, Rory landed heavy blows on her opponent, until the buzzer sounded.

Ruby's aura was in the red.

There was silence before Glynda cleared her throat and announced, "The winner is Rory Mercury." The lights came back on, and she was suddenly aware of the crowd that the fight had attracted. Goodwitch looked at her watch.

"What are you all doing here?" she shouted at the students, "It's ten minutes past the end of the break. Anyone not in your classes within five minutes gets detention!"

Spurred by the threat, the gathered students except for team RWBY quickly vacated the area. Among them were a pair of calculating eyes.

"Immortal, eh? That could be an issue," Mercury said.

Emerald rolled her eyes, "She's not our target. You do remember what Cinder said, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, "I've got my eye on the mage."

* * *

"Oh, come on!" Yang complained, "We get a day to do anything we want and we go to the library?"

"The library is an important place of learning, Yang. Surely even a brute like you can appreciate that," Weiss rebuked.

"We've been studying all the time! We need to relax, go hit up a bar or something."

Ignoring them, Lelei began to wander through the library, her neutral face hiding her awe at seeing such an endless amount of books. Weiss ignored her noisy teammate and went after Lelei, helping her pick out the most important books. The books about Grimm, dust, technology...

"Wait, can you even read our language?" Weiss wondered as she picked out another book to add to the ever-growing pile.

"I've been studying your language," Lelei replied, "I can read and speak it decently. This will help me improve."

Now that she mentioned it, Weiss released that Lelei wasn't using a translator. Had she really managed to learn a new language in just a couple of weeks?

Having decided that she had sufficient reading material, Lelei told Weiss and began to leave. Weiss quickly went to help her check out the books before the two went to drop them off at the dorm room given to Tuka, Lelei, and Rory.

When they returned, Ruby was sobbing, Rory looked ready to tear someone's head off and Yang was wearing a smug expression. The reason was soon clear: the Remnant: the Game board on the table, on which Mistral dominated the map.

"Team RWBY. Aren't you supposed to be showing our guests around Vale?" Ozpin asked. All eyes turned to him as the headmaster entered the library, cup in hand. Behind him were Winter, Pina, and Bozes, the latter two looking around with wide eyes.

Ruby giggled nervously, "Um, yeah, but Rory wanted to fight, then Lelei wanted to see our library, so..."

"Not to worry, Ms. Rose. Anyway, I'm here because the Princess has a request. She wants to see the city, but their guide, Winter, isn't very familiar with Vale. I was wondering if you could show them around as well," Ozpin told them. "Also, if you don't mind, please buy some formal clothing for the girls. Beacon will cover the costs."

Ruby looked at her team, who shrugged. "Alright then. To Vale!"

* * *

A/N: I've been slowly losing interest in this story. And even I can tell the quality's dropping in the last few chapters. So, I'm declaring another hiatus. Indefinitely, until I can get back to it. I'm not abandoning it.

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone, and all the best.

-Sav


	13. Chapter 13: Vale Part 2

**Chapter 13: Vale Part 2**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: I'm back with a new chapter, and I've also updated some of the previous ones - minor changes, nothing plot-relevant. I'll continue working on this story, but due to reasons, don't expect my standard one chapter a week schedule. Also, RWBY Volume 7 is up (and has been for months), so if you haven't already watched it, watch it.

* * *

The Vytal Fairground has officially reopened, larger and better than before. While this has sparked safety concerns, General Ironwood insists that every precaution has been taken to prevent another incident. These include a possible second round of negotiations with the Empire's representative, Pina Co Lada.

In other news, Grimm activity all around Vale has decreased. While no real reason can be found for this occurrence, many travelers are making use of this period of relative safety to come to Vale to witness the Vytal Festival Tournament live. Nevertheless, Huntsmen are on guard for any possible Grimm threat.

Tickets are selling out fast for the now confirmed 80th Vytal Festival Tournament, featuring not just the standard battles between teams of students from all four academies, but also exciting exhibition matches, a chance to meet a real-life mage, as well as a chance of witnessing abilities never seen before. Don't miss it!

* * *

Ever since the Gate had opened in the heart of the Vytal Festival Fairgrounds, the entire area had been locked down tight by the Atlesian military. With the Tournament back on track and ever more people entering Vale, the demand for food and other items quickly went beyond what the Vale shopping district could handle. As such, the Council had put aside another patch of land for use by shopkeepers, essentially replacing the previous fairgrounds. This one had much more Knights and even Huntsmen patrolling, lest another tragedy occurred. While the large numbers of armed soldiers were an imposing presence, most of the people did their best to ignore them.

It was here that the gang went, team RWBY and their guests - Lelei, Tuka, Rory, Pina, and Bozes - went, both for lunch and to buy new clothing for the girls from Falmart. Deciding to handle the clothing first, the group allowed Weiss to lead them forward.

"There are a lot of people here. Could this be a marketplace?"

"Ah, look at that dress…"

Pina and Bozes were having a whispered conversation as they took in the various items on sale.

Soon, Weiss came to a stop in front of a store. Behind its windows were numerous expensive-looking clothes, drawing everyone's attention. Without a second glance, Weiss strode into the store, snapping for an employee. The others followed her in, eyes wandering in awe of the exquisitely designed items.

Team RWBY decided that, with her background, Weiss would be the best choice to choose out some suitable clothing. She hadn't given them a choice, anyway, already ordering an employee to bring some clothing out of Tuka, who was awkwardly standing around, overwhelmed. Shoving a pile of clothing into Tuka's hands, Weiss practically pushed her into a changing room to get changed. While waiting, she turned to Rory and Lelei to ask, "Do you two want to wear something more formal too?"

Rory walked one full turn around the store, looking at both male and female fashions, before declining, "I'm not really interested in these clothes. Besides, this is my priestess' formal wear."

Lelei too replied, "No need." Unlike Rory, she seemed completely uninterested in new clothing, instead choosing to read one of her new books. Weiss shrugged at their refusal and returned her full focus to finding an appropriate outfit for Tuka.

While RWBY wasn't allowed to buy anything for themselves, they still took the opportunity to browse through the items for sale.

On the other hand, Pina and Bozes were looking at the clothes on display, but their attention was focused on the quality of the fabric used to make them.

They were currently wearing Imperial nobles' clothing, suitable for semi-formal events. Made of very high-quality, hand-stitched silk, their attire was designed for use in garden parties or mounted activities, as well as a good set of casual clothing for a knight. At their waist were swords, the standard weapon of their order. They did not need any new attire, although, looking at the options available on display, they wondered if there was any way to convince Headmaster Ozpin to get them some.

The sheer variety of goods on display made them wonder if the owner of this place was some kind of merchant prince, to be able to boast such a huge stock. Not only that, but the strange materials used to make them were also both sturdy and lightweight, making it perfect for clothing. They thought that it would sell well in the Empire.

With nothing more to do in the shop, Ruby decided to get some fresh air. Rory and Lelei followed her out, the clothing store holding nothing of interest. They had barely stepped out when a familiar figure greeted them.

"Oh, hey!" Emerald called out, "What a surprise, Ruby. Got your wallet this time?"

Ruby reached into her pocket and pulled it out, chuckling, "Yep! Managed not to drop it!"

"So, what're you doing here?"

"Oh, just helping Tuka get some 'formal clothing'," Ruby replied, "Ozpin wants them dressed properly for their public appearance."

"I don't need new clothes," Rory declined, "This is my formal priestess attire."

"Oh, are they from the other world? Falmart? You get to show them around?" Emerald asked.

"Yup!"

"Hey, I heard that one of them has magic," Emerald pointed out.

"I do. My name is Lelei," she introduced herself, before going back to her book.

Emerald took the opportunity to scan the girl, knowing that, nearby, Mercury was doing the same. Noting the staff, she asked, "Can you show me?"

Putting the book aside, Lelei agreed. Once more she created a ball of fire, causing the wind to swirl around the area.

"Nice! I'm so jealous that you get to hang out with them," Emerald commented.

"Heh, sure. Oh, we're going to lunch after this," Ruby said, "As soon as Weiss is done." Through the glass windows, Weiss could be seen glancing critically at the clothes Tuka was wearing before ordering her to try another set. "Which might take a while. Wanna come with?"

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid we're in a hurry. Besides, Merc isn't the best at... socializing," Emerald declined, glancing over her shoulder. Where Mercury was sniffing a boot. Again.

"Well, see you later, I guess."

"Oh, maybe we could come to visit them. You know where they're staying?" Emerald wondered.

"Well yeah, Ozpin gave them a dorm near ours. It's the unused one, near where we first met. Come over anytime!" Ruby responded enthusiastically.

"No problem. See you later, then!" Emerald responded with her own cheerful wave. Turning around, she began to leave, dragging Mercury away from the boot seller. Her chipper demeanor immediately dropped into a disdainful scowl.

"Aw, what's wrong? I thought you liked them," Mercury commented.

"I never want to see them again," Emerald replied miserably, "If we need to get more out of them, you're doing it."

"Don't think so. Besides, we now know that the mage is actually capable of real magic, and where they're staying. That girl is so naive."

"Yes. Cinder will be pleased," Emerald said, the thought brightening her up.

* * *

While Weiss was still picking out an outfit for Tuka and convincing Rory and Lelei to try some on as well, Pina and Bozes took notice of a bookstore nearby. When she noticed their interest in the shop, named Tukson's Book Trade, Blake immediately volunteered to bring them over for a look, pulling the nobles off before anyone else could get a word in.

In the bookshop, the girls from Falmart gasped at the variety of books on display - without automation in the Empire, books were difficult to acquire there. This world was vastly different, with books being cheap and easily accessible.

Leaving them to their browsing, Blake went over to the counter. She frowned when a woman stepped up to greet her cheerily, "Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade! Home to every book under the sun. How may I help you?"

"What happened to Tukson?" Blake asked.

The new shop owner replied, "He left town a couple of weeks ago. All of a sudden, really, just packed his bags and left. Quite strange, but I'm assuming he had something important. He left me the store, and I've decided not to change the name. It's got a history in it, you know? You knew him?"

"Just a regular," Blake replied, before considering how to put forth her next request. "Do you... happen to have the new book by... um... Patty Berdioler?" She whispered the name, glancing to make sure that there was no one else within earshot. Pina and Bozes seemed engrossed in a book, so that was fine.

The owner's eyes widened, "Oooh, so you're... Blake? Tukson spoke about you sometimes, and your reading preferences."

Blake blushed, "Not a word. Do you have it?"

The owner winked at her. "I won't tell a soul. In fact, Tukson specifically pre-ordered one for you," she replied, ducking down behind the counter to look for it, "Why didn't you show up earlier? I thought you liked this place."

"I do, but I've been busy," Blake answered, taking the offered book and stuffing it into her bag before anyone could see it. She paid for it, then thanked the new owner and turned to look at Pina and the book in her hand.

Was that Ninjas of Love?!

* * *

"I knew I shouldn't have allowed you to decide," Weiss glared disapprovingly at the store that the group had stopped at.

"What? Come on, you liked the noodles the last time!"

"Our guests have traveled all the way from another world! Shouldn't we find something... classier for them? This is-" Weiss was in the middle of protesting when she was interrupted.

"Come on, we're already here. It's too late to change. Everyone, take a seat," Yang said, as the familiar elderly man with grey hair came over to take their orders.

Pina and Bozes waited uncertainly for their food to come. They didn't have to wait long before the old shopkeep returned, along with their food. Almost quicker than the eye could see, he had given them all a bowl of noodles. A bowl larger than any Pina had seen.

Pina cautiously peered over the lip of the bowl to look at the steaming noodles within, along with all kinds of ingredients that she could not identify.

"Come on, let's eat!" Yang called out, and the girls began digging into their similarly large bowls.

Taking a deep breath, the high-bred noblewomen gingerly spooned up the noodles and slowly began to eat. Although it was the first time they had encountered such a dish, Pina and Bozes did not protest it. Their training had exposed them to all kinds of strange and sometimes vile food; this was no different.

"So, what'd you think of Vale?" Yang began.

"I like it here. There is so much knowledge about the natural world," Lelei replied, focusing more on the book in hand then the bowl of noodles before her.

"This world has such a collection of fine art!" Bozes added.

Tuka smiled, thinking of the new harp that she had received, "The instruments here are great, too. Such exquisite craftsmanship."

Rory licked her lips, "So many skilled fighters. This aura of yours is fascinating."

"I'm curious, what exactly is aura?" Pina asked.

"Aura is part of our soul?" Ruby replied hesitantly, "Something like that?"

Weiss sighed, "This is why you should pay attention in class, Ruby." Then, she explained, "Aura is a manifestation of the soul, a life force that runs through every living creature. It bears our burdens and shields our hearts. We learned this months ago, Ruby!"

"_Every_ living creature?" Pina pressed.

"Everyone has it, even animals," Yang answered, "Trust me, you'd know if you met Zwei, our corgi."

"Even... us?" The question perked everyone's interest.

"In theory, yes," Blake said, "Human or elf shouldn't matter. As long as you have a soul, you have an aura... Perhaps we could try to unlock it."

"Let's finish our meal and return to Beacon," Pina suggested, "And try it."

The group ate quickly after that, eager and curious to see if they could find some answers.

Silently, Pina thought, 'If I can figure out how aura works, the Empire may yet have hope.' And a more selfish part wondered, 'How would it feel to wield such power? Will I have a semblance?' Would she become unbeatable in combat or the greatest leader in the Empire's history? As Pina ate her noodles, she wondered just how she could use such a gift.

She found the noodles to be delicious.

* * *

_"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in wisdom and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."_

Pina did not know what the incantation meant, but she felt its purpose. She felt the power surge through her, suddenly free, as though a part of her, once locked, had been released. Almost instinctively, she glanced at her hands, where a shimmering sheen of red light glowed briefly before fading away. She looked around, at the room assigned to Rory, Lelei, and Tuka, where they, along with team RWBY and Bozes, had gathered to experiment. The other girls looked at her with awed gazes, and Pina felt powerful and confident, a queen among her subjects.

The feeling wore off, and everything seemed to return to normal.

"It worked!" Ruby cheered, and promptly collapsed onto a bed.

"Ruby! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she waved the concern away and turned to Pina, who was still standing unmoving, "I've used my aura to unlock yours. The force that protects you is now your own. How do you feel?"

"Powerful," Pina replied absently, sitting down. She tried to focus on the strange energy now present within her, a part of her as much as her limbs. Even having just unlocked her aura, it felt natural, familiar.

"Alright! Success! Who's next?"

At Pina and Ruby's respective insistence, Bozes and Blake stepped up, and the latter placed her hands on the former's chest. Exactly like Ruby had done with Pina herself. Weiss began to glow white, aura flaring as she chanted the same incantation as Ruby had done before.

The ritual was soon complete, light flaring out. Bozes stared, shocked, at her hands, and Pina gave her an encouraging smile.

Next, Tuka was up, along with Weiss. The latter seemed to hesitate a little but nevertheless began the chant. Pina, now mostly recovered, tried to pay attention to the words. Were they a mere focusing strategy, or did they have actual power within them?

Calming light filled the room, along with the scent of wet grass. Weiss drew away from Tuka, whose aura glowed serenely green. It lasted only a second more before fading, and Tuka looked over her hands.

"Amazing," she muttered.

"Alright! Lelei, you're up," Ruby called.

"No need," the mage replied, "When the doctors examined me, they found that my aura was already unlocked." Having said that, her hands flickered with light as she proved her story. Lelei, at the curious looks, elaborated. "All mages learn a defensive spell as their very first magical ability. I believe that this is almost identical to how you use aura."

"All mages have their aura unlocked?" Pina asked. If only she had known this sooner.

"Not exactly. While similar, our shield is different. Perhaps it is because of magic that we never truly tried to understand or control this force, leaving our understanding of the aura and soul lacking severely compared to Remnant," Lelei speculated.

"Interesting. Maybe the General could run some tests."

Pina immediately interrupted, "Maybe later. You haven't tried Rory's aura yet." When team RWBY agreed, she breathed a small sigh. If the Empire could quickly harness the power of aura and magic, it may yet be able to come out of this war victorious. But the 'Men in White' could not know.

Rory wasn't really interested in having her aura unlocked - she was already immortal anyway - but seeing as there was no reason not to do it, she agreed to Yang's incessant pestering.

The two got into position and the ritual began once more. This time, Pina tried to remember the words, just in case she wanted to do it herself. If the Empire's entire army had a shield formed from their very own souls, it would be unbeatable.

Rory's aura blew them all away. Literally. The apostle's soul flared out with such force that the others were all thrown around the room.

Pina expected the force to throw her into the wall, and it did. However, it barely hurt, as expected of such an impact, and she realized that it must have been her Aura, forming a shield to cushion the blow.

"What the-" someone muttered. In the center of the room, blazing with blood-red light, Rory Mercury floated, her aura a physical presence that dominated the room.

"An apostle was once human, but now something more; a demigod," Rory explained, her voice echoing in itself, completely unlike her usual light tone, "The soul evolves over a thousand years, before shedding the mortal form to ascend into a god. As the soul grows, so too strengthens the aura, into a force of pure power."

Then she collapsed, the suffocating aura dissipating. Before anyone could go to help her up, Rory leaped to her feet. "That was weird," she said, back to her normal voice.

"What was that? Your aura was so powerful!" Ruby asked.

The apostle shrugged, "You heard me. Or maybe Emroy, speaking through me. Anyway, we apostles are chosen by the gods to ascend. We're immortal, and our souls are... something more than mortals'. You said that aura is a manifestation of the soul, yes? A greater soul, a greater aura. I feel unstoppable. I need to test this."

"Well, the Vytal Festival Tournament is coming up soon. I wonder if you can sign up..."

* * *

A/N: For obvious reasons, the girls from Falmart do not have canon semblances. I've taken the liberty in coming up with some ideas, but I was wondering - any suggestions?

In canon, Tukson is probably dead. Here, he's... still dead. But, judging by the conversation between Roman and Cinder about Em and Merc's actions, they were supposed to be more subtle about 'convincing' Tukson. I assumed that they would cover his murder up, hence the cover story. Will this be a plot point? ...Probably not. I just wanted to mention it.

What happened to Adam and the White Fang? Will they appear? No. There are enough characters as it is. Just assume they went into hiding or something.

Whoever gave me the Ninjas of Love idea (a long time ago), thanks. RWBY Wiki states Patty Berdioler as the author of Ninjas of Love. I don't even know how they found that particular piece of information. Also, Blake reads smut. Ninjas of Love is smut and there's no way to convince me otherwise.


	14. Chapter 14: Mistakes

**Chapter 14: Mistakes**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: All I will say is that I (mostly) have reasons for what I choose to happen in my story. The auras must be unlocked.

* * *

The day is nearly upon us! Tomorrow marks the first day of the eightieth Vytal Festival Tournament, which promised to be unlike any other! In addition to a few exhibition matches between some of the best students from all four kingdoms, the guests from Falmart will also be there. Rumor has it that approval has been given for them to showcase what abilities they have. Stay tuned to see an Apostle in action, and be prepared to witness true magic!

* * *

Ozpin felt something strange about the Princess of the Empire. As he looked at Pina and her aide, Bozes, Ozpin couldn't help but feel that something had changed about her. Was it in her posture, more confident than before? Was it in her speech, more self-assured? With a cup of coffee before him and Ironwood standing to his side, the Headmaster of Beacon Academy resolved to find out.

"So, these are our demands," Ironwood began, "First, we want the safe return of the rest of our citizens. Because your knights have been a great help in locating and recovering them thus far, Princess, the council has decided to release all but the most violent of our prisoners in a show of good faith."

"This is no issue. My knights have worked hard. If you release my people back to us, I'm sure the nobles will be more willing to cooperate," Pina agreed.

"Good. Next is the issue of expansion," Ironwood continued, glancing at Ozpin. "The council has given their approval to send troops and supplies through the Gate to begin a permanent expansion. It will be the beginning of a new Kingdom."

Ozpin has expected something bold, but that was much more than a mere kingdom expansion. "The council has what?! This is-"

"The council has decided that a world where magic exists and the Grimm do not is too valuable an asset to ignore," Ironwood interrupted, having expected Ozpin's negative response.

"You want to make a permanent city on Falmart?" Pina cut in to clarify. "What of the buildings that you have already constructed?"

"Yes. A place where our people can live safely. Without the looming threat of Grimm, every day. For now, all we have are military installations and static defenses, but we want to construct civilian buildings, as well as research laboratories, a CCT, and everything else a city needs."

"I'm afraid that the Empire will never agree to this. Not without something to gain in return."

"You tried to invade my world, Pina. This is what I and the council want for compensation," Ironwood insisted.

Pina frowned, "My father will never accept this, and neither will I. You may have defeated our armies, but we will not just surrender like this. If it is a war you want, General, you can prepare for one."

"If that is what you wish, so be it!" Ironwood refused to back down, "We will conquer your world and take the land!"

"Calm down. We will discuss this civilly," Ozpin's soothing voice cut through the tension. The other two backed down, if only slightly, at his words. Instead of preparing to simply resume the war, at least now the two seemed content to simply glare daggers at each other, for now.

"This discussion is getting nowhere," Ozpin spoke. Intentionally, he redirected the conversation to something that he had just figured out. "Let us continue later. Now, Princess, if you don't mind me asking, when did you unlock your aura?"

Ironwood's eyes nearly popped out as he heard the question, and Pina tensed up. She then sighed, knowing that she could not hide such a thing for long, "Yesterday, team RWBY helped us."

"Us?" Ironwood demanded. At the same time, Ozpin chose to ask, "Team RWBY?"

"Indeed. I was curious, so I convinced them - Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang - to try it out. On me, Bozes, Tuka, Rory, and Lelei."

"They- Fools! I am going to court-martial those-" the General thundered, only to be interrupted by Ozpin, speaking calmly but firmly.

"They are not your soldiers, James. They are still young. We should have expected something like this. I will see that they are punished appropriately, but now is not the time."

"This is unforgivable! Defend them all you like, but I am going to make sure that team RWBY never comes close to anyone from Falmart again!"

"You shouldn't punish them so harshly, General. It was I who convinced them to do so," Pina cut in, "Furthermore, they see us as friends. It does not matter that we are from different worlds, or that we once fought. If we are to have peace, this is the attitude that we should encourage in our people."

Another surprise to add to the ever-increasing amount. Judging by Ironwood's lack of a response, he was as shocked. "I will consider your suggestion, Princess," Ozpin said, "Let us now focus instead on the relationship between our two worlds. James?"

"I knew I should have sent Winter to keep an eye on them," Ironwood muttered. Getting back to the task at hand, he said, "It matters not. My demands have not and will not change."

"Then neither will my answer!"

"It appears that this conversation is getting nowhere. Perhaps we should resume at a later date," Ozpin once again played the peacekeeper.

Pina frowned, "Unfortunately, I've already stayed here quite long. I must return to the Empire soon."

"No worries, Ms. Co Lada. Tomorrow is the first day of the Vytal Festival Tournament anyway, perhaps you would be interested in attending. Perhaps we can reconvene after that," Ozpin suggested.

"Yes, perhaps after watching my best -. After watching the best of the kingdoms, you may reconsider your decision."

"That sounds acceptable," Pina agreed, deciding that watching her enemies in a close up fight would be beneficial, even if the General was planning on scaring her. Pina refused to be cowed. Then, realizing that Winter had disappeared since RWBY was taking them around, she wondered, "Where is Ms. Winter, anyway?"

"Specialist Schnee has other duties, ones that I now know should have been handed to someone else. RWBY should not have been left to run wild. Unfortunately, it is too late for that. One more day, Pina, then I'm afraid that our discussion must come to an end."

"One more day should be fine. I accept your offer."

"Excellent. Then that will be all for today. If you need anything, just let any of my soldiers know. And stay away from team RWBY," Ironwood concluded.

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch, disciplinarian and vice-headmistress of Beacon Academy, was doing a patrol of Amity Colosseum when she came upon a strange sight. Rory was talking to a worker, smiling sweetly. The longer she looked, however, the less sweet and the more sinister the smile on her purple lips seemed to be. The poor man she was facing was also terrified, desperately looking at Glynda for help.

"Ms. Mercury? What are you doing here?" Glynda asked, stepping forward and drawing the Apostle's attention. The relived worker took the opportunity to dart away.

"Ahh, Glynda, was it? I want to join the tournament," Rory said. "But this fool-" she paused to point at the worker, who had by now disappeared, and, finding no one, shrugged, "But your guys won't let me."

"I'm afraid that is not possible, Ms. Mercury. You must be a member of a team studying in one of the four academies to join."

"That's no fun," she complained, then perked up. "How about we battle instead?"

When Rory rushed her, Glynda did not even flinch. In a moment, her riding crop was out, pointed at Rory. It glowed purple, and the Apostle found herself suspended in the air.

Glynda adjusted her spectacles as she spoke, "Control yourself, Ms. Mercury. You are a guest here. Act like one, and not a bloodthirsty beast."

Rory tried wriggling free, but Glynda's telekinesis immobilized her completely. "Like fighting in the arena instead of out here?"

"Not possible, I'm afraid. Even if Ozpin decided to bend the rules, your immortality and lack of an aura would surely be unfair-"

"Ah, but I've unlocked my aura!" Rory happily announced, releasing a surge of power that completely broke Glynda's telekinetic grip and allowed her to fall to the ground. She landed in a crouch, smiling ear to ear.

Glynda's face was a constant change of emotions as she processed the information and drew the conclusions. Her features then settled into a terrifying look that made even the Apostle of the God of Death and Madness step back, the smile wiped from her face.

* * *

The arena was empty, so team RWBY had brought Lelei and Tuka there. The young mage wanted to test out her experimental new abilities, which were the result of a long read through Remnant's science. Looking over the familiar place, Lelei nodded, "Yes. This will do."

Glynda Goodwitch, usually manning the controls, had been otherwise busy, so Ruby took it upon herself to operate the room. From her position at the controls of the arena, Ruby spoke, her voice amplified by the speakers, "Alright, everything's up and running nicely. Who wants to go first?"

"I'll do it," Blake replied, jumping into the ring to join Lelei, who was currently checking her staff.

"You sure, Blake? Doc told you to take it easy," Yang asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine," she dismissed the concern, pulling Gambol Shroud from her back. The original blades had been lost in the invasion and never recovered, so Blake had gotten Ruby's help in forging a new one. Blake had made it almost identical to the previous version, with just several small changes, despite her leader's insistence on adding 'more firepower'.

"Ready?" Ruby called out.

"Ready," both Blake and Lelei replied. On the screen, their aura bars appeared, both healthy green.

Without further notice, Ruby turned down the lights and began the battle.

Lelei made the first move, lowering her staff to point at her opponent. A small blast of fire formed and flew quickly at Blake, who immediately dived aside. As the fireball exploded harmlessly in a shower of sparks against the arena's protective force field, Blake charged forward.

Lelei reaimed and fired again at the rapidly closing Blake. This time, she simply slashed with Gambol Shroud, cutting the fireball and causing it to dissipate with a hiss. Keeping her speed, Blake prepared to engage Lelei and melee.

The mage frowned, stepping back and swinging her staff in a large arc that left a glowing trail of light. Six glowing orbs appeared in this trail, each shimmering purple. By now, Blake was ready to strike, so, still retreating, Lelei attacked. All six orbs blasted with magical energy, forming an unavoidable wall of lasers at Blake.

The lasers tore through their target, which faded as the shadow clone was destroyed. The real Blake appeared from above, leaping down with Gambol Shroud swinging. Lelei tried to bring her staff up to halt the assault, but her opponent was simply too skilled in close combat. Rapid slashes cut at her aura/magic shield, sending Lelei stumbling to the edge of the arena.

Stumbling, Lelei released a wide burst of flame around her to force Blake back. With the temporary respite provided, Lelei created a series of rings around her staff, each larger than the previous.

Blake was quickly on the offensive again, darting side-to-side in preparation to avoid the obvious massive incoming attack. Sometime along the way, she left a clone behind, making it look like a pair of her attacking from both left and right. Lelei, instead of trying to keep up with her opponent, simply unleashed her spell into the middle.

The rapid, sequential explosions caused the entire area to erupt in fire. Both Blakes disintegrated under the flame, and Lelei had only a moment to be shocked before the real Blake slid out from below the roaring inferno, mostly unaffected.

With a few quick blows, the huntress-in-training sent the mage out of the arena.

"Blake wins!" Ruby declared.

Lelei picked herself up. She concluded, "My magic is too slow to match your speed. Unless I can create some quicker spells, there is no way for me to achieve victory in close-range. Combustion seems to be useful for-"

"Analyze later, watch now," Yang said, lightly smacking her on the back before jumping into the ring. "Who's next? I need to flex these guns!"

"I'll go!" Tuka volunteered, jumping into the ring. She then frowned as she experimentally tried to draw on nature's power. The air was around her, but the bulk of the magic was being blocked by the arena walls. "Can we take this outside? It'll help my elf nature magic."

"No need!" Ruby called out enthusiastically. Pressing a few buttons, she activated the retractable roof. The roof slid away smoothly, allowing the sunlight and fresh air to enter freely.

Tuka took a deep breath and felt the comforting embrace of the wilds. She began to draw on the unbound power, causing a light wind to begin to swirl around her, bringing with it several leaves caught in the zephyr. Abovehead, the clouds darkened slightly as she prepared to draw in them. Exhaling, she called out, "Ready!"

"Alright!" Yang shouted, slamming her fists together and creating a spark, "Let's go!" With that, she leaped into the air and fired her shotgun gauntlets back, sending her flying straight at Tuka.

The sky darkened in an instant, and a bolt of lightning shattered the sky. It struck down in a flash, directly hitting the flying Yang. The electricity ran through her body, sending her out of control. Yang ended up tumbling along the ground, and Tuka smiled at her as she went out of the ring.

"Tuka wins! That's the fastest Yang ever lost before," Ruby commented.

Yang groaned as she stood up, shaking her limbs to clear the lingering tingling. "Lucky shot," she huffed, "Rematch."

Glynda Goodwitch took that moment to slam the doors open without even touching them, striding into the room where she had claimed dominion over. As team RWBY and their friends' hearts all froze, the disciplinarian began to shout.

"Team RWBY! Ozpin's office, NOW!"

* * *

"Do you know why you are here?"

General Ironwood's tone alone made RWBY tense up. His disapproving gaze and that of Ozpin, sitting at his table, and Glynda, standing beside him, did nothing to lighten the mood.

"No..." Ruby cautiously answered.

"Why did you unlock Pina's aura, Ms. Rose?" Ozpin asked, getting straight to the point.

"Um... They asked us to. Besides, I was curious, you know? It's the first time we've got a chance to properly interact with people from a different world! They're so different from us! I mean, they-"

"They are our enemies!" Ironwood thundered, his outburst stunning the students into silence. "Have you forgotten already? They, their Empire, tried to invade Vale! They killed, burned, and kidnapped. They wanted to destroy us! They still do!"

"I know. I was there," Blake evenly replied, while her team was still frozen. "I was kidnapped and taken into their world. And yet I still want peace. Do you know why?"

"I don't care why! If peace is possible, it will be because they dare not fight us! Now that Pina has her aura, she threatens war! Do you want to see more people slaughtered?" Ironwood shouted.

"Calm down, James, I'm sure-"

"Not this time!" Ironwood interrupted Glynda, an act few others dared to try, "Too much is already at stake. We must make headway into Falmart. We must learn their magic. This may be our best chance at stopping Sal-. Stopping the Grimm once and for all."

With RWBY silently listening to the General, Ozpin asked, "Anything to add, team RWBY?"

The team was silent. General Ironwood had made it clear that there was much more at stake than what they had initially thought. The war was not over, even if Vale was at peace and the Vytal Festival was still going ahead. The Princess was not here to sightsee but to discuss the futures of both worlds. Only an oversight had allowed them to become close to the princess and the others. And apparently, the magic of this new world could end the threat that had plagued Remnant since the beginning of humanity.

"Well, technically you didn't tell us any of this beforehand..." Ruby began. She trailed off when Ironwood glared at her.

"Do you think-"

"James, please. The girls are right. We did give them free rein, without letting them know exactly what was going on," Ozpin admitted, and Ironwood could not disagree, so he simply glared. "Anything else?"

The team wanted to talk about friendship and bonds of trust, but one look at the General and Glynda convinced them that that line of thought was doomed.

"Nope."

"No."

"Nothing."

"Nah."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow but choose not to comment. Like a judge to a guilty criminal, he spoke in an even voice, "Very well. Some of this may have been our fault, but I still have to punish you. Having discussed this with Ironwood, your punishment will be as follows. One, you are banned from participating in the upcoming Vytal Festival Tournament, but you are allowed to watch. Two, you are hereby banned from any interaction with Pina Co Lada, Bozes Co Palesti, Rory Mercury, Lelei La Lalena, and Tuka Luna Marceau, as well as any other person from Falmart. Permanently, until I or the General say otherwise. Three, after you graduate, you are to serve at least one year of probation before receiving your full Huntsmen licenses, subject to your behavior. Any questions?"

"What?! How is that fair? All we did-"

"All you did was hand our enemies our greatest weapon, Ms. Rose!" Ironwood thundered, "Consider yourselves lucky that you are young and that Ozpin was willing to speak up for you. Consider yourselves lucky that you are not expelled, blacklisted, and court-martialed! Now leave!"

Team RWBY couldn't leave quickly enough.

When it was just the two headmasters left in Ozpin's office, he asked, "Don't you think that was a little harsh?"

"Harsh? If their armies come marching in and matching us in strength, you may want to reconsider. Goodbye, Ozpin," with that, General Ironwood turned to leave.

"Wait," Ozpin called out, "Have your forces been keeping track in the Grimm? Is something strange happening?"

"Funny you should ask. They're the least active I've ever seen. Almost no attacks, and definitely nothing major. Why?" Ironwood asked.

"She planning something." Ozpin's answer was vague and mysterious, yet his old friend understood it perfectly.

With a frown, James said, "Salem?"

"She's been too quiet. With this kind of coverage, there's no way that she's unaware of the Gate. And with her capability of magic, the talk of gods and immortal Apostles running around, Salem is planning something. She will come. We must be ready when she does."

"My forces will make sure that she doesn't come close," the General promised, placing his scroll onto the table. A holographic projection of his fleet, flying over a peaceful Vale, appeared. "When the people look to the sky and see my fleet, they feel safe. And our enemies will feel our strength."

Qrow's low laughter had begun as soon as Ironwood finished. Everyone immediately turned to him.

"When did you even get here?" Ironwood demanded.

"No no no, Jimmy," Qrow said, slurring his words slightly, "Not about me. About you and your incredibly stupid plan. You… you think they're scared of your little ships? When she comes, Jimmy, your ships will be nothing!"

"And what would you do, Qrow? Challenge her to a drinking contest?"

"No, even though I'll win. It's too late for an army. They're here, already in the school. Not just anyone, but those responsible for Autumn's condition."

"What?" Glynda exclaimed.

"No army will stop them, Jimmy."

Frustrated at their apparent lack of understanding for his actions, Ironwood sighed as he walked forward and picked up his scroll from the desk. "So then, what would you suggest we do?"

"The people need a guardian, a symbol of peace and comfort. Not an army. Not a symbol of war and conflict," Glynda said.

"I suggest we find our guardian," Ozpin finished firmly. No one noticed the black queen chess piece that flickered on the screen for just a second.

* * *

"So, this Falmart still has magic? Who are they? Where did this come from?" the woman with deathly pale skin and dark black veins muttered, shaking her head, "Too many questions. My spies can find nothing; perhaps not even Ozpin knows."

She looked at her followers and gave a chilling smile. "And those fools wish to display their power in the Amity Colosseum? What could they be planning?"

"Watts!" she commanded, "Is the virus ready?"

"At a word, the Atlesian forces are yours to command," the scientist replied, "My old friend James has been... helpful."

"Good. The Grimm have been lying in wait. When the time comes, I will muster my full might to take the Gate. Inform Cinder of her role. When I strike, she must be ready," she ordered.

Now ignoring the presence of her underlings, Salem turned to look out into the savage Grimmlands. "You think you can keep this new power to yourself, Ozpin? I will show you true power. No more games, Ozpin. No more hiding. This time, you will fall. By my hand."

* * *

A/N: The fun is about to begin. Eventually.


	15. Chapter 15: Amity Arena

**Chapter 15: Amity Arena**

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: Too harsh? Not harsh enough? Spoilers: It won't really matter. I've got enough of this politics, talking and blaming each other nonsense. This chapter is rule of cool. I need some action.

* * *

This is Lisa Lavender, reporting live from Amity Colosseum. After the delay caused by the tragedy of the Gate, the time is finally here to kick start the eightieth Vytal Festival Tournament. This monumental event is being projected to the homes and screens of millions around the world, from Atlas to Vacuo, everyone will get to witness this great event.

Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that Rory, Tuka, and Lelei will not be making any appearance beyond being spectators. While this is unfortunate, the Tournament still promises to be greater than any other.

* * *

It was early in the morning when Pina and Bozes were escorted by a female guide wearing the now-familiar white Atlesian uniform. They took an airship to Amity Colosseum, the size of which kept surprising her, and landed there. The soldier led them to the VIP seats, a double layer of chairs at the very front of the seating area. Rory, Lelei, and Tuka were already there, as were many other students. Further inspection revealed that team RWBY was also present, even if they were seated far away from the Falmart group. Behind them, hundreds of spectators waited eagerly for the event to begin. In front of them was a plain, flat circular area, most likely the arena where the fighters would battle.

The size was larger than any Empire colosseum and the atmosphere unlike any she had known, but Pina resolved to pay close attention. She would analyze the fighters' every move to see their strategies and learn how to mimic or counter them. After all, now that she had aura, surely she could learn something from watching. Could the General really have thought that she wouldn't try? it seemed like a huge oversight, but Pina wasn't going to question the opportunity.

"Please take a seat, the exhibition match will begin shortly," their guide said, gesturing for Pina and Bozes to sit beside the others. "If you want refreshments, signal one of the serving staff. If you have any other requests or questions, let me know."

Pina did as instructed, feeling herself sink into the comfortable chair. Bozes followed her lead and their guide left, but Pina was sure that she would be nearby.

"Welcome, everyone, to the fortieth Vytal Festival Tournament!" Professor Port's voice boomed across the entire stadium, amplified so that every person could hear him clearly - not just those physically in the floating colosseum, but also those around the world watching its broadcast live. "My name is Professor Peter Port, and this with me is Professor Glynda Goodwitch."

Indeed, the huge screens around the colosseum showed Port and Glynda, who were both sitting in a booth with microphones before them.

"That's right. We will be your announcers for today."

"Now, the moment you've all been waiting for. The first of the exhibition matches is a one on one battle, so let's welcome our first combatant: Winter Schnee!" Port called out.

The crowd cheered as she entered the arena, wearing her usual white attire. After waiting a few seconds for the noise to die down, Winter's introduction began.

"Winter Schnee is a Specialist in the Atlesian Military's Special Operatives unit. She has the hereditary Schnee family semblance of Glyphs, a powerful semblance with many uses. Her weapon is Edel Blume, a pair of Dual-Wield Dueling Sabres. Despite being one of the youngest specialists in the Atlesian military, her skill in the blade and mastery of her semblance is extraordinary," Glynda expressionlessly said.

Wearing her usual blue and white coat, Winter strode confidently into the center of the arena. Her sword in hand, she drew it across the air in a quick slash. Behind her, the Schnee snowflake appeared, a glyph conjured by her semblance.

This was what Winter was preparing for instead of supervising them, Pina realized. If the casual display of power to create that glyph that slowly rotated behind her was any indication, Winter was an incredibly powerful fighter. Pina had not really got to see the full capabilities of any Remnant fighter, so she looked on closely, eager to learn.

Port began the introduction for Winter's opponent, "Today, Ms. Schnee will be fighting a student from Beacon Academy, Ariel Fauxen."

Ariel entered the arena from the opposite side of where Winter did. Pina recalled that, back in Falmart, a woman named Vela Fauxen was leading the recon team. This had to be the daughter she had mentioned. The crowd cheered for her as well. Ariel ignored them, focusing fully on Winter.

"Ariel is the heiress of Fauxen Manufacturing, a large manufacturing and research company. Her semblance is Projection, allowing her to create copies of anything she touches, similar to how hard-light dust operates. Her weapon is Heaven's Gate, a Multi-Form Combat Staff. Despite her age, Ariel is one of the best fighters in Beacon Academy, capable of defeating full-fledged Huntsmen."

Ariel wore light armor, made of shining golden metal. She had a pair of armguards, one of which had a detailed metal dragon coiled around it. She wielded a staff, much like her mother. At its tip, a pair of wings spread out, both beautiful and deadly sharp. They glowed as Ariel closed her eyes. When she opened them a moment later, a pair of golden, shining wings - exact replicas of those in her weapon - flared to life on her back. With a quick, embellishing spin, Ariel raised Heaven's Gate to point at Winter.

An angel. With her golden aura, shining armor and now those wings, Pina had no other word to describe her. Her mind was frozen and her mouth open.

The large score screen came to life, showing portraits of both Winter and Ariel. An aura bar loaded up for each, both full and green. Several screens around the arena changed to show a closeup view of the two fighters, who both wore the same knowing smile. The smile of old friends ready to put on a glorious show.

"These two impressive fighters will battle it out in the first of our exhibition matches today, in the ice and fire biomes."

The outer area of the arena floor fell away, revealing a pit into the depths of the stadium. The holes were very quickly filled up by a pair of artificial biomes, unlike anything Pina had ever seen. The half behind Winter was an icy tundra, speckled with sharp ice shards. The other half, behind Ariel, was much more volatile, filled with bubbling lava and bursts of fire. Remnant had created entire artificial biomes, dangerous and unpredictable, for no purpose other than entertainment. Even the Empire's harshest winter was less severe than the pure sheets of ice, and the lava matched that within active volcanoes. Pina gulped as a scary thought hit her: did these conditions exist in Remnant? Was that why their fighters trained to fight in such unforgiving environments?

"Begin!"

Deep in thought, Pina almost missed the start of the match.

Winter blasted off her glyph with such speed that she seemed to teleport, appearing at her foe. Pina did not have time to react before the two began to do battle, metal ringing out.

"Oh ho, they're getting right into it!"

"Winter initiated the battle instantly with a lightning-fast blitz, but her opponent was prepared," Glynda pointed out.

Having used the greater reach of her staff to knock Winter's charge aside, Ariel counterattacked by spinning her staff in horizontal circles around her body. Whenever Winter tried to strike, Heaven's Gate's longer form would knock Edel Blume aside, preventing her from landing any blows.

With a direct attack out of the question, Winter decided to leap into the air, white glyphs appearing in a hemisphere around Ariel. Using one as a platform, Winter darted downwards, rapier outstretched.

Ariel nearly managed to halt her staff's momentum to pull it above her, blocking the aerial attack. Even then, she had barely a moment to recover, for Winter simply leaped to another glyph before rocketing back at a different angle. Ariel spun on the spot, doing her best to anticipate the next attack and block it with Heaven's Gate. The rings of metal on metal showed her relative success, but for each hit she blocked, another would sneak past and dent her aura.

"Winter is using her semblance to attack rapidly from multiple angles, forcing her opponent on the defensive," Glynda noted, "If Ariel cannot break out of the ring of glyphs, she will be defeated."

Pina barely heard the commentary as her mind struggled to keep up. Winter was barely visible as a blue blur, dashing between her artificial platforms. She could not even keep track of Winter, she realized, how was Ariel even managing to defend? Her aura was dropping, but slowly.

Ariel's wings flared with light before they thrust down heavily and sent her into the air. More than just for show, her wings brought Ariel up and out of the oppressive glyphs, Heaven's Gate shattering the one that blocked the path.

With her opponent now freed from her containment, Winter's remaining glyphs faded away. She took the opportunity to split Edel Blume, removing the smaller rapier from within the larger. Now dual-wielding, she crouched slightly, ready for another assault.

Wings flapping slowly, Ariel remained hovering in the air, her weapon changing as well. The wing-blades slid down the side of the staff, spreading out to become a crossguard. The rod of the staff flattened out as internal machinery whirred into action, transforming Heaven's Gate into a heavy twin-bladed sword. Wielding it with both hands, she turned its deadly tips to Winter.

The two met in combat once more. Winter leaped into the air, once again forming numerous glyphs to use as platforms. Ariel had no such need, her wings allowing her full freedom as they initiated an airborne battle.

Pina watched the dizzying display open-mouthed. If one of them attacked the Empire, attacked her Rose Knights, what could she do? They flew out of reach of swords and spears. Their weapons could shatter any shield. Magic was too slow; it would take too long to prepare, and most likely miss anyway. An arrow barrage might hit them, but...

Ariel burst forward with explosive speed, slamming Heaven's Gate into Winter. The impact of the blow took away a good portion of her aura and sent her flying out of control to crash into the icy biome in an impact that should have killed any man. Instead, she jumped back to her feet almost immediately, showing no damage. Watching Ariel fly uncontested in the air, Winter snatched up a few shards of ice dust lying around her, dislodged by her crash. She smirked.

"Ah, it seems that Winter has a plan!" Port called out.

Analyzing the situation, Glynda added, "Ms. Fauxen has the advantage of mobility in the air. Winter must ground her to achieve victory, and I believe she knows how."

With a flick of her wrist, Winter used Edel Blume to send a barrage of sharp ice shards at Ariel. She dodged immediately, drawing her projected wings close to send herself into a steep dive. When she was a few meters above the ground, she unfurled her wings, slowing herself to a hover, sword in hand.

A large ice spike streaked towards Ariel, launched by Winter at her opponent. The unexpected projectile was too close and too fast, and Ariel could barely bring Heaven's Gate up, marginally deflecting the shard aside. Instead of a direct blow, Ariel felt the projectile narrowly miss her body... and pierce a wing, shattering the projection into glittering dust.

Unbalanced, Ariel fell gracelessly, spinning as she tried to correct her fall. All she managed to do was avoid the lava pool below her, crashing onto solid ground. Winter was over her immediately, pressing her advantage. Edel Blume's greater half stabbed into the ground, where Ariel was a moment ago. The specialist kept up her attacks, slashing rapidly with both blades of her weapons as her opponent was forced to retreat.

Ariel rolled as Edel Blume swept above her head, picking up a stray fire dust crystal as she did. She immediately inserted the volatile crystal into the base of Heaven's Gate's blades, where it glowed brightly as the weapon drew upon the power within.

When Winter attacked again, blades slashing, Ariel countered with a massive upward cleave. With a roar of fire, Heaven's Gate left a blazing trail that lingered in the air, sending Winter flying back, her aura glowing as it turned the heat away.

As Ariel raised her now-blazing sword, Winter dropped onto one knee and sunk her smaller rapier into the ground. At her feet, a glyph with a new design appeared, spinning. Beside her, an identical one appeared. From this new glyph, a beast, glowing blue, took shape.

Pina recognized the Beowolf. Even if it were a mere copy of the real one, or perhaps an image, it struck fear into her heart. If endless numbers of such monsters plagued Remnant, how could they survive? Would the Empire withstand their might? How brave, how powerful, are these people, to thrive amid such danger?

"It seems that Ms. Schnee has summoned a Beowolf!"

"Indeed, Professor. The Beowolf is her preferred summon, fighting alongside their creator to overwhelm opponents."

"Oh ho! Can Ms. Fauxen survive the onslaught?"

The Beowolf summon howled, bounding forward. It leaped as it neared Ariel, raising a deadly paw to swipe at her. It was promptly cleaved apart by a single slice of its target's flaming blade.

The destruction of her first summon didn't faze Winter in the slightest. Two more appeared, both charging forward. They too were cleaved apart by Ariel, who began to approach her opponent.

Seeing that her Beowolves were not working, Winter created a larger summoning glyph above her. A new, greater summon took form, one with the body and head of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the tail of a scorpion.

A legendary manticore. Even as the terrifying creature leaped forward, fangs gleaming, Pina couldn't help but wonder what other forms the Grimm could take. A wolf, a bear, a manticore... were there -

A roar shook Pina out of her contemplations. She looked back to see that the dragon bracelet that Ariel was wearing had come to life. Shining gold, a long, serpentine dragon burst forth, a direct - if a hundred times larger - copy of the bracelet. Its wings burst open, sending the projected dragon into the air, where the manticore met it with a fearsome growl. They engaged in a spectacular battle, blue and gold blazing in equal measure as the summon and construct went at each other with fang and claw.

Below them, Winter and Ariel struck in mirror of their creations. Winter's lighter rapiers clashed with Ariel's heavier sword in a constant metallic ring. The ice that Winter expertly wielded met the raging fire of her opponent, sending forth bursts of steam that clouded the air before swiftly dissipating. Back and forth they battled, blades moving almost too fast to see.

It was less of a fight and more of a dance. One where a misstep meant not just a sore foot but being thrown across the arena. Where blades sang and struck and blocked. Pina was left in awe at the display of dazzling skill.

Over their heads, the manticore and the dragon disengaged from their duel, retreating to either side of the arena. Both were injured, as much as animated constructs could be, but that did not stop them from charging back into battle over the center of the arena. They met and began to spin around each other, forming a blazing ball of blue and gold.

Below, Edel Blume and Heaven's Gate met, both unleashing the full force of the dust within them. Roaring fire met freezing ice, causing a massive shockwave that shook the stadium and caused a huge cloud of steam to erupt at the center of the arena. It blasted upwards, a spinning hurricane of boiling water, straight at the two fighting constructs. The water tore through them, destroying them both instantly. The summoned manticore and the projected dragon both exploded in a storm of glittering particles.

Time seemed to stand still as the spotlights glittered off thousands of tiny blue and gold particles. They filled the air, dense enough to have a solid existence, yet scattered enough that they did not block the fighters below. Winter's two rapiers were locked against Ariel's larger sword. The former, glyph at her back, was shimmering slightly as the light reflected off the ice shards around her. The latter, wings blazing strong, had flickers of flame glowing around her. The ground around them was cracked, sending up more fire and ice into the chaotic scene. And on both faces was a huge grin, of a successful and glorious demonstration between old friends.

The moment passed, and the crowd erupted in cheers as the remaining particles faded away. Pina, however, was too busy being frozen in shock and awe.

How could the Empire fight such power? The power of fighters who could summon legendary allies, who could manipulate the elements of the world, who could battle so violently for entertainment. Was there any force that could hope to challenge them?

it would take years for her to get to such a level, if it were even possible. It didn't matter that she had aura. Remnant would crush her armies if they dared fight. This was what Ironwood had wanted her to see. This was why he had insisted that she stay.

The alarms began to blare. In the shocked silence (apart from the alarms) that followed, the calm, electronic voice began spelling out the imminent doom, "Warning, Grimm attack underway. Evacuate immediately. Threat level...

...unclassified."

A/N: Ariel is Vela's daughter. Her part in this story is no more than a side character that I've grown to like. Maybe in another story, I'll give her a full personality, but for now, she exists for the sole purpose of 'rule of cool'. This entire chapter was for 'rule of cool'. And scaring the heck out of Pina, but still.

Glynda is taking over Oobleck as announcer because he's still in Remnant with Vela.

Surprisingly, Winter's weapon does not have a canon name. Edel Blume is my personal name for it, meaning 'Noble Flower' in German. I think it's nice.

As for Ozpin and James informing RWBY's parents about their foolish act: Summer is dead. Raven is missing. Tai is in Falmart. Jacque is a POS. Willow is drunk. The Belladonnas are across the world. There are really not many people to tell.

The next chapter is when the fun really begins.


	16. Chapter 16: The Fall

**Chapter 16: The Fall**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

* * *

An unprecedented Grimm attack is en route to Beacon Academy and the Vytal Festival Fairgrounds. Having already overwhelmed the border defenses around Vale, thousands of Grimm swarm towards the Huntsman Academy, near which the Gate from another world is located.

A flying Grimm phoenix has been spotted making a beeline for the Gate, its sheer size making it impervious to anything that our Huntsmen can throw at it. Meanwhile, the streets and skies are filled with dozens of Grimm species, many of which have never been seen before.

Oh, and the Atlesian knights are attacking us as well now.

In short, Vale is doomed and we're all going to die. Lisa Lavender, signing out.

* * *

Salem, the immortal enemy of humanity, master of the Grimm and Ozpin's greatest foe in the shadow war, looked over the once peaceful city of Vale.

She watched as the sky darkened and erupted into violent storms, lightning, and thunder shattering the air. She watched as unnatural stormclouds and great swarms of Grimm fliers blotted out the sun. She watched as the might of the Atlesian army turned upon their creators. She watched as the Huntsmen and the soldiers fell to an endless onslaught of nightmares and robots.

As her forces relentlessly pushed forward into Beacon, Salem found her attention drawn to Beacon Tower. At its top, a very familiar presence, as ancient as she was, awaited her arrival.

The ground shifted beneath her as the Grimm Phoenix felt her will. Black flames burning with dark light, it let out an ear-piercing screech and dived. Drawfing even the General's flagship - which was now firmly under her control - the Phoenix soared uncontested towards the CCT where Ozpin had made his office. It left wisps of shadow in its wake, which slowly drifted to the ground. They took shape upon reaching solid land, transforming into Beowolves and other Grimm creatures.

Salem smiled as she rode her creation straight towards Ozpin. He would die today. Beacon Academy would fall.

The secrets of the Gate would be hers.

* * *

"Ms. Co Lada, please follow me," Winter said. Despite her previous performance, she seemed barely winded as she ushered the princess and the other Falmart girls away. Behind the group, Ariel had Heaven's Gate in her hand, now in a bow form. She was rapidly firing glowing arrows from the bow, striking down any Grimm that got too close.

"What's going on?" Pina demanded.

"We are under attack," Winter bluntly replied, "You must return to Falmart at once."

"The negotiations -" Pina was cut off by a Griffin landing next to her, both it and the golden arrow lodged in its neck disintegrating.

"Move!" Ariel bellowed.

"Too dangerous. We'll figure it out later," Winter said. Wielding Edel Blume, she created a row of glyphs, leading the group directly to a waiting Atlesian Airship.

Pina took one step into the glyphs and found herself rocketing forward, with Bozes, Tuka, and Lelei shortly behind her. Once Winter and Ariel joined them, the airship doors slammed shut and the vehicle blasted off towards the Gate.

"I would like to inform you that Rory had decided to leave on her own," Lelei told Winter.

"What? When?"

Lelei shrugged. Winter growled, but it was too late to turn back. Besides, Rory was immortal. She could take care of herself.

Pina gasped at the destruction around her. The city was in chaos, with collapsed buildings and fires everywhere. The sky was being swarmed by creatures of darkness, each terrifying in their own way. And the massive Phoenix hovered over the city, easily larger than a Flame Dragon.

If she weren't so shocked, Pina was sure that she would be cowering like Bozes was, shaking uncontrollably in fear.

A rush of air brought her attention back to the airship. Standing at the open door, Ariel said, "I will protect the ship from outside. If any of you can help, do so." With that, she stepped off the airship and flew at the Grimm, wings shining and blade slashing.

The doors closed, allowing the interior of the craft to quieten down. Pina looked back outside, watching as an angel stood against the tide of darkness.

Cracking magic surged as Lelei began muttering words of magic.

"Lelei, what are you doing?" Winter demanded.

"I am assisting you in this battle," she calmly replied, still channeling her spell. Beside her, Tuka too began to glow as she prepared magic of her own.

"Do not do anything rash. Your safety is of utmost concern," Winter warned.

"I do not plan to leave this vehicle," Lelei informed her before releasing her magic. Around the airship, balls of magic began to form, like moons orbiting a planet. With a sweep of her hands, the balls fired off into the Grimm, each exploding in a flare of light.

A moment later, the sky unleashed its wrath. With the support of Tuka's elven magic, massive bolts of lightning cut through the sky, each strike ripping apart any Grimm it touched. A hurricane began to form as well, the gale-force winds pulling the airborne Grimm - and the remains of the Atlesian Air Fleet - into it.

And still, the Grimm came. Pina watched as her companions and more nameless Huntsmen and soldiers took down Grimm after Grimm. Yet, the tide of hungry creatures never stopped. Never had she seen an enemy like this - an enemy without number. She had thought that the Empire had the greatest, largest army in the world. Now she knew better. All of the Empire's forces could hardly hope to dent the numbers of this demonic army. The Grimm must not be allowed into Falmart, or all would be lost. The Empire needed Remnant's aid, as much as it pained her to admit it.

The airship shuddered, metal groaning. The roaring wind whipped up again as something sharp tore into the vehicle. Winter acted quickly, sealing up the tear with a burst of ice, but the damage had been done. With an engine destroyed, the airship entered an uncontrolled dive.

"Hold on!" Winter called out, stabbing her rapier into the floor. Black gravity glyphs appeared before the airship on quick succession, each slowing the vehicle down as it tore through them. Tuka helped as well, generating a powerful updraft that slowed the airship's descent.

Their combined efforts turned the crashed into a controlled descent, allowing the group to walk away unharmed.

With a torrent of wind, Ariel landed beside them. At first glance, she was fine, but Pina could tell that even this apparently angelic warrior was tiring, her breaths quick, her actions slowing. "The Gate is that way," she said, without apology or introduction, "We're trying to hold it for as long as we can. Get there. I will-"

A manticore - like Winter's previous summon, except much more inclined to harm them - dived down from above, its claws grabbing onto Tuka's shoulders. With a startled cry, she was brought into the air, rapidly getting out of reach.

Winter and Ariel's eyes met for a moment before they nodded and the latter blasted into the air after Tuka.

Taken by the surprise of the sudden event, Pina, Bozes, and Lelei barely had time to react.

Winter, however, was already planning out the next move. An alpha Beowolf summon formed beside her, larger than a man. "Let Ariel retrieve Tuka. We will head to the Gate," Winter ordered, eyes narrowed, "You three, stay close to me, and slay all who dare oppose us."

Lelei's magic began to crackle between her fingers, her blue eyes glowing with power. Pina and Bozes, for the first time, unsheathed their blades in Remnant. Their fear was forgotten. Now, they had one objective, and they focused on it. Their hands were stable as they prepared to fight the Grimm.

"As for Rory... I believe that she's heading to the Gate. Hopefully, we'll meet her there."

* * *

Rory was, in fact, not heading to the Gate, away from the Grimm and towards safety. Instead, she was actively running towards the massive Grimm Phoenix headed for the tall tower in the center of Beacon Academy.

As she approached, the Apostle drew back her arm and flung her halberd with all her impressive might, sending the deadly weapon scything through the air. It struck the Phoenix under its wing with explosive force, the sheer momentum of the halberd causing it to rip through the Grimm's flaming feathers. It screeched as it fell, unbalanced, but the woman riding it didn't seem to care. She just leaped off her crashing mount, abandoning it as she floated into the top of the tower.

Rory began to leap, each jump cracking the land beneath her and taking her up what seemed to be an impossible distance. Retrieving her halberd from the collapsing Phoenix as she did, she used the rubble around her as platforms to send herself up to the top of Beacon Tower.

Rory reached the top very quickly, and, noticing the lack of an entrance, she slammed through the wall. In a shower of debris, the Apostle entered the headmaster's office, dragging her halberd into the ground to halt her momentum.

"A child?" the woman who had been riding the Grimm Phoenix mocked. At this distance - basically in her face - Rory could see that the mysterious woman's skin was a deathly pallor, and she had glowing crimson eyes. Dark purple veins that line her face and arms, and she wore a very long, short-sleeved black robe that dragged across the ground. "Are you truly so desperate, Ozpin?"

"Ms. Mercury, please-"

"Child?" Rory scoffed, "I'm older than you!"

The bold declaration gave the woman pause as she examined Rory in closer detail. "I am Salem, girl," she introduced, "And perhaps you are more than a child. Who are you?"

"That's none of your concern, Salem. Ms. Mercury, please lea-"

Once more Rory ignored Ozpin. With an elegant bow, she too introduced herself, "I am Rory Mercury. Apostle of Emroy, the God of Darkness, War, Death, Violence, and Insanity. I am immortal."

"Truly? Immortal? And a representative of a god?"

"Yup. And you, are you the one they call immortal?" Rory asked.

"Ms. Mercury, -"

Both others completely ignored Ozpin. "I have been cursed with immortality. For a crime I did not commit. And you? How did you become an immortal?"

"Chosen by Emroy."

"Enough!" Ozpin thundered, "Ms. Mercury, return to your world at once! I will handle Salem!"

With that, he lunged forward in a flash, his cane outstretched to attack. Even with his incredible speed, Salem was prepared, unleashing a volley of sharpened shadows at her foe. Without deviating from his path, Ozpin either dodged or swept the dark spikes aside, bringing himself close enough to Salem to unleash a flurry of blows.

Knocked back, Salem raised her hands into the air. A swarm of Nevermores immediately descended upon Ozpin, forcing him to destroy them. Very quickly, they fell to his skill, but they did their task of stalling him.

"Will you join me, Rory? Join your power with mine. Take revenge on the gods who have wronged us. Who forced their curse upon us," Salem asked Rory.

She laughed. "Curse?" the Apostle mocked, "This is no curse, fool. The honor of protecting not just my world, but all worlds, is mine. And you must be destroyed!"

Having said that, Rory leaped forward, halberd swinging. Growling in anger, Salem summoned black spikes once more, impaling Rory in mid-air. They pierced her body, holding her in place.

"Foolish child. Then I will take it from you!"

Salem stepped towards the trapped Rory, an arm outstretched in preparation to leech her power. She then recoiled as a powerful wave of aura centering from Rory exploded out, shattering the spikes. Rory dropped to the ground, wounds already healing. She licked her dark purple lips. Raising her halberd, she prepared to attack, only for a green blur to beat her to it.

Ozpin struck at his ancient enemy with both his cane and magic. The surprise assault sent Salem flying off the tower, although it could not kill her.

"For your own good, Ms. Mercury, leave," he advised.

Rory laughed at the recommendation, "Try to keep up, old man."

She leaped off the tower, and Ozpin followed her over the edge.

The Grimm Phoenix met them on the way, screeching. Neither made any move to escape. Rory slammed down onto its head with her full aura- and god-enhanced might, her halberd ripping a massive wound and almost cleaving the Grimm into two. Behind her, Ozpin followed up with a blast of green energy straight into the wound, and the massive creature exploded in a blast of ash.

Below, Salem awaited their arrival, unconcerned by the destruction of her great beast. As her enemies approached, the Grimm queen sent forth massive waves of dark magic, as well as more airborne Grimm.

Rory tore apart anything in her way, her weapon cutting through the chaos, completely unaffected by the evil magic. She landed on Salem, halberd first, only to have it blocked by her unnatural strength. Despite the force of the impact shattering the ground, Salem was unhurt, and she lashed out with a surge of lightning at Rory.

The attack was blocked by a translucent green bubble before Ozpin attacked with rapid stabs. Each had great elemental power behind it, enough to shatter concrete, but Salem was barely affected. Rory too jumped in as well, both the ancient Wizard and aura-boosted Apostle unleashing waves of magical power that threatened to rend the battlefield apart.

Not only did Salem simply shrug off the best that they could throw at her, but she also unleashed her own magical power. The night itself seemed to come to life, intent on suffocating the witch's enemies. Crushing waves of darkness poured onto Ozpin and Rory, fueled by Salem's fury.

Ozpin stopped the attack with a bubble of green light, holding the darkness at bay. However, his power had waned over the centuries, and Salem's strength overcame his. His barrier cracked, before shattering completely.

Ozpin gasped as the shadows sharpened and pierced both him and Rory.

Leaving her ally, the Apostle ignored her wounds and attacked Salem, halberd swinging wildly. Enhanced by her boundless aura, she darted around her foe, lashing out with rapid blows. Even with Rory's incredible speed, Salem was able to dodge the initial strike, the halberd shattering the concrete floor. Undaunted, Rory stuck, again and again, her centuries of experience and her deadly speed and strength raining heavy blows onto Salem. When Rory came in for a sweeping blow, Salem grabbed onto the halberd's blade, ignoring the wound it caused her. Using her unnatural strength, she pulled the Apostle to her using her own weapon and placed a palm onto her forehead.

The dark veins on Salem's hand pulsed, and Rory tensed up, freezing as dark magic invaded her mind. She tried to fight it, but the millennia-old witch was more powerful than her. Rory mentally screamed for help as Salem forced herself into her memories.

Lightning struck Salem from behind, disrupting her concentration. Leaving Rory to collapse at her feet, she turned to see Ozpin, kneeling on the ground. In his hand was his cane, still crackling with residual energy. He was also bleeding out from Salem's previous attack, on the verge of death.

She stalked over. Cupping Ozpin's jaw in a black-veined hand, she looked into his eyes - still defiant - and whispered, "You lose." A moment later, the headmaster was incinerated into black ash that scattered into the winds, his cane dropping to the ground.

Done with that, Salem turned back to face her other foe.

Rory had not been idle during Ozpin's sacrifice. Her body thrummed with ancient power the likes of which Remnant had seen only thousands of years before. The power of a god. And when Rory spoke again, she spoke the words of another. She spoke the words of Emory.

"Enough!"

The figure standing against Salem and her endless tide of Grimm was still that of a young female child. But her voice; her very presence was much more. Behind the slightly crouching figure of Rory Mercury, with her halberd raised, was the shade of her god. Emroy, the God of Death and War, stood with his chosen. He took the form of a man double her height, wielding a hammer of similar size. With the power of a god behind her, Rory spoke Emroy's words.

"Salem. I sense your past. I know your punishment."

"Then you know that I was wronged!" the dark queen screamed in return, unwanted memories of her past surfacing. "The gods refused to help me with such a simple request. They are at fault! They are to blame!"

"Even now you deny. You have learned nothing from the past. Accept your punishment, Salem! The laws of death apply to all!" the god of death demanded.

"You're just like them," Salem spat, "You think you can do anything you want? Then die!"

Salem lashed out once more, telekinetically slamming the ground beside Rory into her. She exploded out from the rubble, unharmed, and resumed the attack. Once more, Salem was forced to block that halberd.

But this time, Emroy was in the battle as well. His translucent avatar was spectral but very capable of causing physical damage. It slammed down onto Salem, smashing her into the ground. While she was stunned, both the god and his Apostle unleashed a flurry of devastating blows, shattering the earth itself.

When the dust cleared, Salem got to her feet. Her body had already regenerated, her immortality completely negating her opponent's attempts to destroy her.

In return, Salem fired a blast of darkness from her hands, the beam consuming not just Rory but everything around her as well. It could kill anything... except for an immortal. Rory, and by extension Emroy, was sent flying back, but she was back on her feet soon after the beam ended.

Both sides were immortal. Neither could realistically or truly achieve victory. But neither could lose and so they went at each other with magic and might that shook the earth.

* * *

"All Huntsmen and civilians, evacuate immediately. We are being overrun. Evacuate immediately."

Citizens and students alike shrieked in terror as they fled the creatures of Grimm that trampled through the grounds, the fear only serving to feed the crazed, destructive nature of the beasts. Fires burned on many of the booths, and sounds of havoc filled the air.

Ruby barely heard the looping message as she stared out into the carnage. Distressing images of the last invasion of Vale filled her head, the horrors matching up with the scene in front of her. Last time, Blake had...

"What do we do?" Blake asked. The other members of team RWBY had gathered around their leader, readying their weapons.

Ruby snapped out of the trance. Blake was here. "We stay together," she decided. There were too many to fight. As much as she hated to admit it, Vale was lost. "Fall back to the Gate. There'll be soldiers there; we can help them. And help whoever we can in the way."

Her team nodded. Then they moved.

Yang led the way, punching and blasting the Grimm out of the way. Weiss and Blake followed after her, covering her back and shooting down any that got too close. Ruby covered the rear, scythe flashing, and also took some time to snipe priority targets. Together, team RWBY blasted their way through the Grimm and the corrupted Atlesian Knights, picking up some stragglers along the way. They covered each other, watching for attacks that came from every angle.

Now shepherding a group of civilians, team RWBY soon came across a heated battle.

With Coco, Neptune, Sun, and Flynn laying down cover against the airborne Grimm, Velvet was taking on a pair of Atlesian Paladins at the same time, both far larger than she was. For the first time, her weapon's capabilities were revealed as she danced across the bulky mechs. The hard-light projection of Crescent Rose slashed across a Paladin's armor before Velvet used Magnhild to fire grenades to simultaneously knock it back and bring her into the other. Myrtenaster, Floating Array, Gianduja, and a host of other weapons all made an appearance as Velvet systematically tore the two mechs apart.

Until one unexpected broke through Gambol Shroud's ribbon - used to restrain it - and landed a blow on Velvet. It slammed her into the ground, causing a cry of pain. Without hesitation, the Paladin lifted its leg up to crush her.

"No!" Ruby cried, dashing forward in a burst of petals. She slammed into Velvet, propelling them both away from the Paladin. It stomped on nothing more than the ground, before reaming its weapons. "Stay together!" Ruby called out, "Work together. No one dies today!" She stood protectively before the injured Velvet, Crescent Rose out and ready. The Paladin threw a powerful punch at her, one that she could not block alone. Yet, Ruby refused to leave her friend's side, staring defiantly at the rouge mech. Taking the blow might hurt her... but her friend would be safe.

With Ruby and Velvet filling her vision, Weiss sent herself dashing forward. Refusing to let either of them - her leader and the faunus - get hurt any further, she pushed herself, drawing upon a skill she has capable of, but had never managed to use. The Paladin's punch met not Crescent Rose but a large, glowing blade. The blade belonged to a severed arm, summoned forth from an unfamiliar glyph. The shock in everyone's eyes was reflected in Weiss' own. She gritted her teeth and swung her rapier. In mirror of her motion, the blade too swang forward, effortlessly pushing the Paladin away. A moment later, it slashed down, cutting the mech cleanly into two.

Then a four-legged mech dropped from the sky, slamming down onto Weiss' summon and shattering it into dust. Blake looked in horror as the familiar spider droid combined its four cannons, charging up its ultimate attack. No more running. Steeling herself, Blake ran directly at the deadly robot, instead of away from it. Throwing her new Gambol Shroud at the large, combined cannon, Blake waited for it to latch on before triggering her weapon's new function. Tiny rockets flared to life, designed to give her attacks more strength. Instead, they pulled the laser cannon aside, away from the others... and straight at a yellow figure.

By the time Yang, finishing off a Creep, noticed the giant cannon aimed at her, it was too late to dodge. She was utterly consumed by the blast of light, but when it ended, Yang still stood. Her hair blazing like the sun, she charged at the spider droid. With enough strength to destroy it... enough strength to protect those she cared for... Yang broke the color spectrum once more as she utterly obliterated the mech in a single punch.

A fireball streaked over their heads, striking down a Griffin. The group turned to face the source of the blast. Cinder Fall came running out of the smoke, one hand holding a briefcase and the other a small fireball. Behind her came her teammates, Emerald and Mercury.

"Hey, Cinder! Come with us, we're going to the Gate!" Ruby called out.

Cinder smiled, blasting a Nevermore with a fireball. "We'll like that," she replied, running to team RWBY's side. Ruby noticed that she was clutching her suitcase as if her life depended on it, but gave it no second thought; it was probably something important to her.

Now with the three new additions, the group continued to the Gate. The Grimm attacks seemed to slow, perhaps because they were closing in on the Gate and their attention was drawn there. Whatever the reason, the group could recover just a little as they ran.

There was a massive explosion nearby, the power of which shook the earth. With the roar unlike any living being's, fire and brimstone were sent into the air as in a volcanic eruption. In the center of this blast, visible for all to see, was a single human figure, with white skin and black veins that struck fear into all who gazed upon her. One particular piece fell, blazing, in front of Ruby and her group. It slammed into the ground with a burst of dust, causing them to come to a halt and look at the new crater cautiously. Something moved within.

Rory grumbled as she rose out of the crater, patting out the residual flames. Before their eyes, her grievous wounds faded away. "Ow. That crazy woman is irritating," she muttered.

"What the heck was that? Who is she?" Yang demanded.

"A pain in the ass, that's what she is," Rory complained, "How am I supposed to kill her? She's as immortal as I am!"

"What?!"

Emroy's projection reappeared behind Rory. "Return to Falmart, Rory. You cannot defeat this woman, and neither can I, in this form," he ordered in his booming voice, before fading away.

"What was that?" Weiss demanded, her rapier pointed at the wisps of the evaporating figure.

"That was Emroy, my chosen god. And my Semblance," Rory replied with certainty, "Conduit. The ability for others to speak and act through me. That's how Emroy could speak so clearly here, and take a physical presence, so far away from his shrine. Now, time to leave."

The group ran for the Gate, which was less than a hundred meters away. When they reached it, the forces around it were still standing. With the combination of a large number of Huntsmen and walls of dust and bullets, the Grimm was being held at bay. Panicked civilians were being ushered in, while a steady stream of ammo and supplies were being sent to Remnant from the Atlesian base on Falmart.

"Go, go!" a soldier ushered them through, shortly before they call went out: "All forces, fall back. Fall back immediately."

The remaining Huntsmen and soldiers fell back as ordered, running to the safety of the Gate. The Grimm were hot on their heels, eager to tear them apart.

On the other side, the moment that the last man exited the Gate, the gathered forces opened fire into it. With the Gate acting as a bottleneck, they halted any Grimm that tried to enter. Exhausted, the students collapsed to the ground. Team RWBY. Pina and Bozes. Lelei. Rory. Winter. Qrow. For now, they were safe.

And there were many questions to be answered.

* * *

Salem gazed over the destruction that her forces had caused. Beacon Academy was now in ruins. Ozpin was dead, though he would return eventually. The Atlesian forces and the Huntsmen had been decimated. The dead and debris lay everywhere.

All that for one unassuming stone Gate.

Walking up to it, Salem put her hands onto the structure. Power began to surge.

* * *

A/N: If there are Grimm Wyverns, Dragons, and Whales, I'm sure Salem can make a Grimm Phoenix.

So, yes, Beacon was going to fall anyway, and Ozpin going to die. RWBY and friends are now trapped on Falmart. So, really, their punishment is irrelevant.

RWBY character development: poor. I know. Honestly, with the focus on politics and combat, I'm starting to think that including the team was completely unnecessary. Too late to change that now, so I'll see if I can give them more development later. At least Yang still has both her arms.

Also, it's surprisingly difficult to write a battle between people who are literally unkillable. No matter how hard you hit them, they just come back. Especially when their capabilities are pretty much unknown. We've barely seen Salem's abilities, and Rory's fighting style mostly involves hitting her opponent with a halberd while being immortal. So I took some liberties.


	17. Chapter 17: Trapped

**Arc 3: Demons and Monsters**

**Chapter 17: Trapped**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

* * *

The ashes stirred and began to pulse. Drawn by an unseen force, the ashes began to swirl, spinning themselves into a single form. As more and more of the black ash consolidated, a screeching cry split the air.

The Grimm Phoenix rose from the ground, taking to the skies once again.

Beneath it, Salem walked up to the Gate, uncontested. The Grimm bowed and stood aside for their queen.

She could not push through. The Gate acted as a bottleneck for her infinite numbers of lesser Grimm, and her greater forces were too large to pass through. Furthermore, for some reason, she herself could not enter. Perhaps Emroy had altered the Gate. Perhaps it rejected her darkness.

No matter.

Placing her hands on the stone, Salem drew upon her ancient magic. Magic, combined with the eternal life of the God of Light's fountain and the God of Darkness' Grimm pool, seeped into the very structure as Salem sought to corrupt it for her own use. From her hands, black veins began to spread across the Gate, slowly expanding in a network of lines.

Something cracked.

"No!"

The Gate began to crumble and shake, pieces of it falling apart. Rock fell, sending up bursts of dust.

"No!"

Salem pushed more magic into the rapidly deteriorating Gate, forcing her tendrils to spread more quickly in an attempt to hold the Gate together.

The portal began to flicker.

"No!"

A pair of Beringels charged into the dying pathway between worlds, attempting to force it to remain whole. Salem growled as she tried to force it back open.

The entire structure collapsed, the portal vanishing. The Beringels were cut into two. The rumble of collapsing stone was quickly drowned out by a roar of rage that struck fear into even the Grimm.

"No!"

* * *

"Where is General Ironwood?" Winter demanded.

"No one knows. He didn't make it over to this side of the Gate," a soldier replied. He was on edge, as were most of those who had fled when Beacon fell.

The Alnus base was in chaos - the influx of refugees, the Gate needed to be constantly monitored and now the General was MIA. As Winter was a specialist in the army as well as Ironwood's trusted advisor, many of the Atlesian soldiers had turned to her for leadership.

As well as she could, Winter tried to bring the base in order. She sent soldiers to guard the Gate, organize the refugees, resupply their weapons - menial tasks, anything to keep the forces focused. Like Winter herself, they had temporarily lost the ability to return home. For the sake of everyone in the base, the soldiers had to keep going, or despair would set in. Even now, Winter could feel the desperation beginning to build in the air.

She also recalled all the Atlesian forces currently scattered around Falmart undergoing various missions. She would need all the manpower she could get.

After hours of frantic activity, Winter finally sorted out the important issues in keeping the base running. Several warehouses of food had already been prepared, which could feed everyone for a while, even including the unexpected number of refugees. At least Alnus Town nearby was always expanding, providing a good source of housing and jobs. Trade was flourishing there, guaranteeing a constant supply of food. Winter had been unsure when, weeks ago, she had recommended setting up that temporary settlement. Now, however, it had grown into a vibrant community, one that may be a key piece of survival for Alnus base.

However, there was a critical problem. Dust. Cut off from their supply, the base had only a very limited supply of that valuable resource. With so much technology relying on Dust, it became a top priority to find a new source of it. Seeing as how they were on a different planet, that seemed unlikely. As such, Winter had sent off a number of scouts to find an alternative energy source that their researchers and scientists could adapt their technology to.

Now finally free, Winter barely managed to catch her breath before a messenger came to her. "Team RWBY and Rory want to speak to you."

Winter came to meet team RWBY soon after the request. They met within sight of the Gate, where there was currently an uneasy stalemate. Any Grimm that tried to enter was immediately torn apart. Any machine that tried to return was also torn apart.

"Uncle Qrow! You made it!" Ruby cheered, dashing over to hug the elder man who had also come to see them.

"Heh, no Grimm invasion will stop me from making sure you don't get into trouble," he boasted.

"Where is everyone?"

Winter was the one to reply, "Your father was on a mission but on his way back now. The princess and her aide are safe and preparing to return to their capital. Lelei is resting. Tuka..."

"What happened to her?"

"She was separated from us on our way here. Ariel went after her, but... I've got no news from either of them."

Ruby seemed to deflate at the news. "We must get her back!"

"No. We cannot risk going back," Winter shut her down.

"But-"

Nearby, the Gate shook, sending a rumbling shock though the ground. Dark veins seemed to spread through the stone before it began to crumble. Before their eyes, the Gate cracked and crumbled, collapsing into a pile of dust.

That settled that argument.

Honestly, after the mysterious woman and the Fall of Beacon, even the collapse of the Gate didn't faze Winter. They had been unable to return due to the Grimm, anyway. Winter sighed and began to consider ways to reallocate her forces and find some other way to return. Maybe someone in the Empire could try to reopen it...

Team RWBY seemed to freeze as the consequences of the Gate's collapse began to sink in. Unfortunately, Winter had no time to let them think. "Why did you ask for me?" she tiredly asked, "I'm going to be very busy."

"We want to know what happened! The place was chaos. Why did the robots attack us? Who was that woman?" Ruby blurted out. "And now what? Without the Gate..."

"Unfortunately, information about that attack is lacking. As for the Knights, there was a virus in our systems, but we've purged it and patched the vulnerability up. As for that woman that Rory fought... no one seems to know anything about her, or how she's controlling the Grimm," Winter sighed, "And now with the Gate destroyed, we can't even send scouts back through to find out."

"I know who she is," Qrow said.

"You?!"

"What I'm about to tell you is confidential... but at this point, I might as well just tell you. Her name is Salem. As Rory can attest, she is immortal. She can control the Grimm. Apart from that, though, not much is known about her."

"And her purpose? Why did she attack Beacon?" Winter demanded.

"That's an even longer story. One that Ozpin wanted to keep secret."

"The Headmaster? Where is he now?"

Qrow grimaced, holding out a cane. "Dead. But he had a mission, one with its origins in legend. Not many people are super religious these days." Reattaching the staff to his side, Qrow pulled out his flask and took a sip. No-one stopped him. "This world's been around for a long time, long enough that people have created dozens of gods. But if you believe Ozpin, two of them are actually real."

"They were brothers," Qrow began. "The older sibling, the god of light, found joy in creating forces of life. Meanwhile, the younger brother, the god of darkness, spent his time creating forces of destruction. As you can imagine, they both had pretty different ideas about how things should go. The older one would spend his days creating water, plants, wildlife. And at night, his brother would wake to see all the things that the elder had made and become disgusted. To counteract his brother's creations, the god of darkness brought drought, fire, famine, all he could do to rid Remnant of life. But life always returned.

"So one night, the younger brother went and made something—something that shared his innate desire to destroy anything and everything."

Ruby's voice was quiet but rang with understanding. "The creatures of Grimm."

Qrow nodded. "You guessed it." He continued the fable gradually. "The older brother finally had enough. Knowing that their feud couldn't last like this forever, he proposed that they make one final creation... together, something that they could both be proud of: their masterpiece. The younger brother agreed.

"This last great creation would be given the power to both create and destroy. It would be given the gift of knowledge, so that it could learn about itself and the world around it. And most importantly, it would be given the power to choose, to have free will to take everything it had learned and decide which path to follow - the path of light or the path of darkness." A grin still tickled his lips whenever he heard the last part. "And that is how Humanity came to be."

"I have little time for fairy tales, Qrow," Winter interrupted, "Get to the point. What does this have to do with us?"

"Well," Qrow replied soberly, "that's the kicker. See, the four gifts to mankind - knowledge, creation, destruction, and choice - aren't just metaphorical. Each of them exists in a physical form, left behind by the gods before they abandoned Remnant, and each of them is extraordinarily powerful. If someone were to collect all four, they'd be able to change the world. And that's exactly what the enemy wants.

"The Huntsman Academies were created to train generations of Humanity's protectors, but they also serve another purpose - guarding the Relics. When Ozpin's predecessor founded the schools, he built them around the Relics to act as a fortress. Not only would they be easier to defend, but they would constantly be surrounded by trained warriors. The hope was that hiding them would keep mankind from using them against itself... and, of course, keeping them out of her reach. Salem wants the relics. We don't know why, but if she gets them, it's not going to end well." He paused for a long moment, letting them absorb the information.

"And do you have any proof of this?" Winter asked.

Qrow looked at her incredulously, "Did you not see Salem just walk into Beacon with an army of Grimm behind her, throwing magic left and right? What more proof do you want?"

"Why tell us this now?"

"Ozpin wanted this to be kept secret... but for the first time in a long time, Salem has _personally_ come out. To look at the Gate, no less. She usually works in the shadows, subtly manipulating things, but she just launched a full-scale invasion. Whatever this Gate is, and this world, she is interested. And that, well, that's not good."

* * *

"I am Specialist Winter Schnee. Until the Gate is reopened or we can find another way to communicate with Remnant, we are cut off. As the highest-ranking officer of the Atlesian Army, I am taking full command of all operations on Falmart."

Her position now made official to the entire base, Winter called Qrow and the top-ranking members of the Atlesian Army into a meeting. There, to incredulous and begrudgingly accepting looks, they explained what they knew of the situation to the high-ranking Atlesian Officers. The Gate's collapse for unknown reasons, Salem and the relics. All the information that Ozpin worked so hard to keep secret, Qrow told them all. Was it the right choice? With Salem already coming in force, it was only a matter of time before they figured things out anyway.

As professional soldiers, they took in the information relatively quickly and immediately began making plans, both to return to Remnant and to acquire the relics. The problem was that no one had any idea of how the Gate worked in the first place. Despite great effort to study it, information on the mysterious structure was scarce. And without a way home, the second objective was impossible.

Some time into the planning, Rory burst into the meeting room, startling all within.

"Why are you here, Rory?" Winter asked, "We're busy at the moment." With so much to be done, she more pressing issues than a single person - even immortal - and her icy tone reflected it. The disapproving looks of her advisors were similar.

Rory pouted a little at the cold reception, "So I guess you don't want to know who can reopen the Gate." Suddenly, all the high-ranking members of the Atlesian Army were very receptive to hearing from her.

"Do tell us."

"Hardy, the Goddess of the Underworld, was the one who opened the Gate. She can make another," Rory confidently said.

"A goddess? Why would she even open it in the first place?"

Rory shrugged, "Who knows? Bored, probably."

"Your armies invaded our home because a goddess got bored?!" a captain exclaimed.

"Not my army," Rory hissed. The captain gulped and remained quiet. Then, Rory drew back and shrugged, "But yes."

"Where does she reside, Rory? We must prepare a team to reach her immediately."

"Nope," she denied, smiling. A wicked look in her eyes, she said, "I have a few conditions."

The officers looked worryingly at each other. "What are they?" one asked cautiously.

Rory grinned. "I will lead a team to Hardy's shrine to ask her to reopen the Gate for you. But. I want team RWBY with me. Your boss put some ban on them from meeting me, right? Seeing as how you're in charge now, that nonsense ends."

With them all now trapped on Falmart, that ban was pretty much already void anyway. "That can be done," Winter replied, "But only if they agree to go."

Rory shrugged. "Sure. Oh, and no soldiers. I don't want some stupid military guys telling to what to do."

The Atlesains took offense at that but wisely decided not to speak up.

"Fine, but I will send someone I trust. Still, any reason why you specifically want RWBY? They're still young, and not the most... responsible."

"They're fun," Rory replied, grinning, "Unlike all these boring soldiers. Also, I want a gun. Not one of the useless ones your guys use. I want one a big one. Explodey one."

"A gun. A-" the captain did not even try to contain his incredulity, "Why would you even need a gun?! You're immortal!"

"Because they look fun to play with. So, deal?"

The Atlesian commanders came to the conclusion that, with her already extensive combat abilities, giving Rory a gun - even a rocket launcher - wouldn't really affect much. So, they agreed.

"Great! Tell me when you get some guys ready, and I'll bring them to Hardy," Rory concluded happily. "Bye."

"Please wait, Ms. Mercury. I heard your god helped during the battle?" Winter asked.

"Ah, yes. Emroy decided to check out what was going on. Why?" Rory asked.

"Can you describe exactly what happened?" Winter questioned, "Perhaps it will help us understand the situation."

"Eh? Sure. But, you owe me a favor," Rory said.

The army leaders looked apprehensively at one another. Owing someone like Rory a favor was never a good idea, but the information was very valuable. "Deal," Winter agreed.

"I felt the power coming from the woman... Salem? I felt that she was somehow wrong, as though her presence was corrupting the land. So I attacked her with your headmaster Ozpin, but you know, she's immortal. And has some crazy powerful magic."

Rory frowned as she recalled what happened next. "Salem overpowered us. She tried to do something to me, like clawing through my memories, and Emroy did not take kindly to that. Then my Semblance was unlocked and I allowed him to take almost a physical presence here, to fight with me. Oh, and Ozzy died. Emroy seemed to know how Salem became immortal, but before you ask, he didn't tell me. Salem was pissed when he tried to talk to her, and then we fought. It was epic, but a draw. The end."

There was silence as the information was processed, then Winter spoke, "Thank you for the information, Rory. Is there anything else?"

"Nope."

"Then would you please leave the room for a moment? I would like to discuss this issue, and your offer."

Rory shrugged and left.

* * *

Sometime later, they called her back.

"Alright. I've discussed this issue with the officers, and we have come up with a proposal. Along with team RWBY, Taiyang Xiao Long, the princess, her aide, and my diplomat, you will first travel to the capital of the Empire. There, find Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck and Miss Vela Fauxen. I presume you still remember them?"

"That doctor is on drugs."

"...I will not comment on that," Winter decided. "Find them. Give them this message," she said, holding up a scroll, "They will escort you to Hardy's shrine."

"Aww... Don't you trust me?"

"No offense, but no. Furthermore, team RWBY needs supervision. As you know, they're not always the most sensible," Winter explained.

"Aw, you're no fun. Fine, I'll find the babysitters. When do we leave?" Rory asked.

"First thing tomorrow morning. Get some rest, prepare whatever you need. A vehicle and supplies will be provided."

* * *

In a quiet room, Cinder put down her suitcase and opened it up. Beside her, Emerald and Mercury could not help but recoil as a tentacled, jellyfish-like seer Grimm floated out. As Cinder gave a bow, Salem's face appeared on the bulbous head of the seer.

"Well done."


	18. Chapter 18: Forward

**Chapter 18: Forward**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

* * *

"This is stupid!" Yang cursed, pacing restlessly in team RWBY's new room. The room was small, as expected when a recently founded town suddenly had to deal with a massive influx of refugees. If not for Winter's influence, they doubted that they would even get a room to themselves.

"You're not helping, Yang," Weiss commented.

"I know! That's the problem!" said girl complained, "The freaking Gate up and died! We haven't heard from JNPR, or anyone really. And we're sitting here waiting. I want to be doing something to help!"

Weiss mentioned, "Well, we are technically still banned from-"

"Weiss, we are literally stuck here now. And Ironwood is missing, and your sister is in charge. I don't think anyone cares about that ban anymore," Blake wryly commented.

"So let's get out there and see what we can do!"

"Like what, Yang?" Weiss rebuked, "The Gate is, as far as we know, magic. Have you suddenly discovered that you're a magician? If not, then there's pretty much nothing we can do."

"Stop being so pessimistic, Ice Queen. Do you even want to go home?" Yang grumbled, even as she realized that she had no idea where to even begin.

Weiss narrowed her eyes, "Yes. I do. But mindlessly running around isn't going to help."

"Neither is arguing among ourselves," Ruby cut in. "I know we're all affected by this, but I'm sure we can come up with something."

"Like what? I'm being realistic. It's not like my sister is going to call and offer up a solution.

Ruby's scroll rang. She accepted the call and Winter's image popped up on the screen.

"Team RWBY," the new leader of Alnus base began. "As you know, the Gate has collapsed. Rory Mercury has provided a possible solution, but she wants your help. So, I'm asking you four to accompany her to find Hardy, Goddess of the Underworld, and convince her to reopen the Gate."

"Wait, Rory has a plan to reopen the Gate? We're in, of course!" Ruby eagerly replied, looking at her team. They nodded in agreement. "But why us?"

"Rory... seems to have developed a liking to you four," Winter sighed, "Unfortunately. The punishment that General Ironwood and Headmaster Ozpin will be lifted. Your father, Taiyang Xiao Long, will be accompanying you. I'll send you the full details later, but for now, thank you for your help."

The screen shut off, and team RWBY turned back to one another.

"Told ya, Ice Queen! Your sister is awesome."

"This is a good opportunity," Weiss admitted.

Ruby gasped as Winter's message sank in, "Dad's coming with us!"

"Yeah! I wonder how he's doing..."

* * *

The Empire had been busy in the time that Pina was on Remnant. Under orders from Emperor Molt to prepare for a full war with the 'Men in White', the army was busy. The Empire was both strengthening its own forces through a mandatory draft while attempting to weaken their enemies via the scorched earth strategy.

Almost every village near Alnus Hill had been razed to the ground, their lands scorched and their wells poisoned.

This did not go unnoticed. The Atlesian soldiers refused to stand idly by and watch as entire villages were destroyed. After getting permission from the higher-ups, the soldiers formed squads to assist the victims of these attacks.

With drones in the sky, the Atlesian army knew immediately if any groups of Empire soldiers tried to make a move. When they did, a group of soldiers, accompanied by Atlesian Knights, would take a Bullhead and rush over. Often, with the speed of the airship, the Atlesians would reach the village first and lay in wait for the Empire soldiers to arrive. When they did arrive, torches burning and swords gleaming, the Atlesians went to meet them. Their superior weaponry, tactics, and knowledge made every such clash a one-sided slaughter.

Unfortunately, they could not always make it on time. Perhaps there was no available pilot, or the Empire's soldiers were exceptionally enthusiastic. Whatever the reason, the strike force would sometimes come to a charred, desolate scene.

Jumping out of the airship at one of these scenes, Taiyang surveyed the area. Fires still flickered, the destruction recent. From under a collapsed house, a flicker of movement caught his eye. While the soldiers focused on securing the perimeter, Tai ran to help the survivor. He found a woman, her leg trapped under a collapsed wall, who froze as soon as she noticed him.

"I'm here to help," Tai reassured, grabbing into the stone wall. It was still in one large piece, landing over the woman's leg and trapping her in place. Finding a firm grip on the rubble, Tai grunted and pulled, his aura-enhanced strength allowing him to lift the debris and toss it aside.

Tai then reached for the astonished survivor, helping her up. Blood was covering her, and her leg was almost certainly broken. Carefully bringing her somewhere safer, Tai called for a medic, who responded quickly.

Looking back around the village, Tai noted that the soldiers were now scattered around the village, thoroughly checking for survivors. Leaving just a pair on guard duty, the soldiers efficiently combed the ruins of the village.

Unexpectedly, Tai's scroll began to ring. It was from Winter, which only added to his curiosity. She was supposed to be back on Remnant. "Winter? Is anything up?"

Winter got straight to the point. "Taiyang Xiao Long, the Gate has collapsed. You are required to return to Alnus base immediately and prepare for a mission to reopen it."

"What?!"

"The Gate has collapsed. We are trapped on Falmart for the foreseeable future. Rory has given us a possibility to reopen the Gate. You are to undertake this mission. Return to Alnus base immediately for mission briefing and preparation."

* * *

As ordered, Tai quickly returned to Alnus base, where soldiers immediately escorted him to Winter's office. The first thing that he noticed was that Ironwood, whom he had expected to be in charge, was not present.

"Where's the general?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, General Ironwood is missing. As the highest-ranking officer, I have taken command," Winter explained, "As you know by now, the Gate has collapsed due to unknown reasons, stranding us here, in Falmart."

"Yeah. So, what do you need?"

"Rory Mercury has proposed a solution to our problem. She believes that the Goddess Hardy can reopen the Gate for us. Your task is to bring her, team RWBY, my diplomat -"

"Wait, team RWBY? That is a very bad idea," Tai protested.

Winter sighed, "I know. But Rory refuses to help us otherwise, and they have already agreed. That's why I need you to keep an eye on them."

"But they-"

"Taiyang Xiao Long, this is our best chance to return to our home. I understand that you are worried for their safety, which is why I am allowing you to join them. The mission will go on with or without you," Winter sternly said.

"Fine. But weren't they banned or something?"

Winter raised an eyebrow. "Their punishment is literally irrelevant right now. Anyway, this is the plan. You, Rory, RWBY, Pina, Bozes and my diplomat will-"

"Yeah, who is this diplomat exactly?" Tai cut in.

"His name is Sedge Plain. James brought him over a few days ago. He's an excellent negotiator, if a bit soft. He'll talk to the Emperor and try to figure something out. However, he is not very good in a fight, so I need you to escort him to the capital."

"Wasn't I supposed to go to Hardy's shrine? Last I checked, its not in the capital."

"No, it's not. But the capital is not too far off course, and I need you to meet up with Doctor Oobleck and Ms Fauxen there so that they can accompany you. I'll draft up a letter to inform them about their new task."

"Bart and Fauxen? Why are they still in the capital?"

"Honesty, I'm not sure either," Winter admitted, "They were recovering our people, but by their reports, they've found everyone. Whatever they're doing in the capital, they haven't reported it yet."

"So I just give them your orders and they'll come along?"

"While they are on Falmart, they are under Atlesian authority. Yes, they will. After that, take Oobleck and Fauxen and go straight to Hardy's shrine. Once you get there, do whatever it takes to get her to reopen this Gate. Whatever it takes, Taiyang. This plan is our best bet, and I'm sure you know how important it is to get a path back to Remnant. Bribe her, threaten her or seduce her, just get it done."

Tai was silent.

"You must understand, Tai. We are cut off and everyone is on edge. This mission has maximum priority. We're low in resources, but take whatever you need. You set out tomorrow morning. Dismissed."

* * *

In a separate room, within Alnus base itself instead of the nearby Alnus town, Pina was trying to come up with a plan. Unfortunately, the behavior of her aide, Bozes, was worrying.

"Are you okay, Bozes?" Pina asked.

"No!" she cried out, more than a little panicked. "What the heck happened? The Grimm..." Bozes shuddered at their very name, "Demons! And they were everywhere. We cannot go back there. Going through the Gate was a mistake."

Pina had to admit that the Grimm did seem a lot like demons. Now that the adrenaline from the escape had worn off, both the girls were feeling the shock. The Grimm had been everywhere, inhuman screeches sounding out into the night. With Winter and her Beowolf in the lead, they had cut a path through the landbound Grimm to escape through the Gate. At that moment, with their survival at stake, their training had taken over, steadying their hands and blades to cut the Grimm down.

Every time Pina closed her eyes, she could see the devastation; the terrifying visage of the monsters looking at her. It would haunt her for weeks or months to come... but she would stand strong. For herself, and for the empire, she could not let it defeat her.

Unfortunately, Bozes was not so focused. Still in their room, Pina's aide was walking circles around the area, alternating between freaking out over the Grimm and raging at Remnant.

When her path brought Bozes in front of Pina, the princess reached out and gripped her shoulders firmly. Twisting Bozes to face her, Pina looked at her aide in the eye and demanded, "Calm down."

"Calm down?! We just went through the underworld! How can I calm down? Demons, magic, all kinds of..." Bozes sobbed, dropping to her knees. Her hands clutched her head tightly, and she shook her head violently as though to try to forget.

"Look at me," Pina commanded. Something in her tone, her stance, managed to cut through her friend's stance. When Bozes' vacant eyes locked into hers once more, Pina spoke in a solemn tone, "Bozes Co Palesti. You are a member of the Rose Order of Knights of the Empire. Focus."

Bozes eyes sharpened.

"Bozes, you have been my friend for as long as I can remember. We have been through the underworld together. We have slain demons. Now I ask, will you stand with me? Will you be my defender, my guardian, my friend? Noble Knight Bozes Co Palesti, will you be my Blade?"

To be a Blade was to be the right hand of a knight commander. It meant power and responsibility and commanded respect from any knight and soldier. It was an honor rarely given. Her training gave Bozes the sense of calm that she needed at that moment. Evenly and humbly, she replied "Princess Pina Co Lada. I accept your offer. I will be your Blade. I vow to serve you to the best of my ability and to protect your life as I would my own."

"Then our lives are bound from this moment forth. Rise, Bozes Co Palesti, my Blade."

And so the deed was done. Despite the lack of ceremony, the promotion was official and binding. Pina now had a loyal ally, who would be both a skilled asset and a lifelong friend. Bozes would have a focus, to surpass her fears and to become an unmatchable knight.

Bozes stood up, confident. Her skin seemed to shimmer, almost like metal. No longer did she fear the terrors of the past. Whatever she would face, it would be met head-on, with Pina by her side.

The princess gave a small laugh, "Well, Grey would have a stroke at that mess of a ceremony. How are you feeling, Bozes?"

"I'm good, Princess. What now?"

"Now, we must decide the Empire's next move. How can we take advantage of this? The Atlesians have been cut off. Should we try to learn from them, using their weakness to pressure them? Or should we simply gather our armies and march on Alnus, reclaim it and destroy them all?"

* * *

The manticore deposited Tuka in front of Salem herself, at the top of what used to be Beacon tower. She crashed onto the ground as the Grimm dropped her before flying off. Getting to her feet, Tuka looked at the pale woman before her.

"Hello," she greeted. It seemed like the only thing to say.

Salem smiled, "Greetings, elf. I have heard much about you."

"I'm Tuka."

"My name is Salem. Please excuse me for a moment," she replied, stepping beside Tuka. She turned to look just as Ariel blasted up in a blaze of light. Without a second of hesitation, Salem raised an arm, sending a spike of shadow energy to impale Tuak's rescuer.

Moving too fast to dodge, Ariel could only attempt to throw up a projected barrier between herself and the attack. The barrier glowed brightly, layers of aura upon one another. The spike hit it and promptly shattered the shield upon contact, before driving on, unaffected, to pierce through Ariel.

Her eyes went wide, disbelieving, before her golden aura glow faded. She fell, the spike falling along with her, to crash gracelessly at the bottom of the tower.

Tuka backed away in horror, "What-"

"She would have caused too much trouble," Salem said, dismissing the issue with a wave of her hand. "And she was of no use to me. But you, Tuka. Your spirit magic intrigues me."

"You... Killed her!"

Salem sighed, "She was going to be a nuisance. Focus on me, Tuka. There is something I want from you."

Tuka did not reply, so Salem continued talking.

"Your mind is troubled. You have lost someone close to you recently, someone you cared about, more so than that Huntress who foolishly approached just now. Yes?"

Fire filled her mind, a suppressed scene from the past forcing itself to the forefront of Tuka's mind.

The fire dragon, an unstoppable beast of pure destruction, stood over her village. Its shadow dominated the land, yet the village was lit, for it was afire. Arrows, wind, and water spirits filled the air as the elves tried their best to defend their homes and their lives, but the dragon swatted them away. Like insects.

"You must hide!" her father shouted, throwing her into the well. The screams of the victims and the crackling of the hungry fire filled the air, but all Tuka saw and heard were her father, his desperate face looking into the well as she fell...

Then a giant maw filled with too many teeth filled the sky.

"No! My father is alive!" Tuka denied, hands clamping onto her head. "He's..."

Salem smiled at the outburst. "Yet he is missing. You have not seen him since then. But, I can bring him here," she offered, "Safe. You can spend your life with him. You can see your father again. All I want is your magic."

"For my father... My magic?"

"Yes, child," Salem replied. "Tell me about your magic, and I shall reunite your family."

"Father..."

"I recommend you choose quickly, Tuka. My Grimm are getting restless," Salem warned. Around then, the Grimm growled to reinforce her point.

"Your Grimm?" Tuka muttered and looked around. Her eyes seemed to focus. As an elf, she was more in tune with nature than most other species. The Grimm gave off a strange presence. Now that she realized it, Tuka also felt that same darkness from Salem. "Unnatural creatures. Monsters."

At that moment, Salem knew that she had made a mistake. As Tuka began consolidating her magic, Salem acted first. A pool of shadow formed beneath Tuka's feet, from which a swarm of Grimm-like shadow hands emerged. They grabbed onto the elf, holding her in place.

"What a shame, Tuka. I had not wanted to kill someone like you," Salem sighed, "But it seems that I have no choice."

Tuka struggled against her bindings as Salem strode closer, but could not break free. She released her magic, calling lightning down from the sky to strike Salem repeatedly. Her target, however, did not even attempt to stop her, simply ignoring the repeated bolts of electricity that struck her. In desperation, Tuka sent a sleep spell at Salem, hoping that it would buy time for her.

Salem waved a hand, easily dispelling the magic. Stepping in front of her prisoner, Salem placed a hand on Tuka's forehead and began to draw out her magic.

Tuka stiffened as Salem forced herself into her mind. Unfortunately for her, she had no goddess to protect her. She was helpless as the very life was drained out of her, and soon the process was complete.

Salem's Grimm hands released Tuka's body, which fell flat onto the ground. Turning and walking away, the Grimm queen toyed with the new power swirling within her as she pondered her next move.

The strange elven magic was different from her own, yet seemed so similar. Just like how, to her, Emroy's presence felt so familiar. She had to investigate this further and to do so, Salem had to find a way to Falmart. The best way to do so was to open a new Gate, from the other side. But her forces there were very limited. That was her first priority.

A seer came floating along, and Salem stared into it.

"Well done. Cinder, I have new orders for you."

* * *

A/N: Salem gave Cinder her Grimm arm, which can somehow drain Maiden powers. So, in a similar fashion, Salem should be able to use her Grimm powers to drain stuff like aura and magic from her victims.

Sedge Plain is the literal English translation of Sugawara, the negotiator from Gate canon.


	19. Chapter 19: To Sadera

**Chapter 19: To Sadera**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

A/N: 'But how can Salem control magic from a different world?' Good question. I have an explanation. I've already touched on this in my author's notes in chapter 6. It's related to how Dust still works off Remnant. You'll find out in about 8-10 chapters or so. Don't worry, I won't forget.

Why haven't the Remnant gods intervened? Because... they left. They pretty much gave up on Remnant, until the relics are recovered.

Also, regarding Tuka's death: Unfortunately, the main cast won't know for quite a while, seeing as how they're stuck in a different world. The ramifications of this will come, but not anytime soon.

* * *

Tai easily got the location of team RWBY's currently assigned room from the soldiers and immediately went there to check on them. Arriving there, he found the door locked and, after several inquiries, found his way to the forge in Alnus Base.

Even as he approached, he could hear the roar of the flames and felt the heat of the active forge. The first thing that he noticed when he entered the forge was that it was very basic compared to those in Signal or Beacon Academy. The second was that team RWBY was not alone.

"Lelei? Why are you here?"

"Oh, hey dad," Ruby greeted, before turning back to whatever she was working on. The rest of team RWBY glanced over as well to give him a nod in greeting.

Weiss was carefully selecting dust crystals from the storage, visibly displeased at the quality. She had already gone through quite a few crystals, deeming them too damaged or otherwise lacking. Blake was doing some maintenance on Gambol Shroud - the new one, replacing the original one lost somewhere in Falmart. Yang was helping her partner and leader, ensuring that nothing went wrong.

"Lelei?"

Focused on the blazing forge, Lelei absently answered, "Ruby is helping to modify my weapon in preparation for the mission tomorrow. Your technology is fascinating."

"The mission? Wait, Lelei, you weren't in the mission briefing. Ruby..." Tai grumbled.

Ruby looked up from Lelei's staff. She gave the embarrassed chuckle of a girl caught with one hand in the cookie jar. "Um... It wasn't me?" she attempted.

"Nice try. Seriously, Ruby, this mission is important. You can't just invite anyone you want to come," Tai scolded.

"Sorry, dad... But can she come?"

Lelei added, "I am a mage. No one else is as fluent as I in magic, and the Gate is certainly magical in nature. I can help you out."

"I don't think I can just let anyone come along. This is a very important mission."

"But you're the leader of this mission!" Ruby triumphantly exclaimed, "You can! Please?"

"I agree with Ruby," Blake added. Done with her maintenance on Gambol Shroud, she sheathed her weapon and explained, "Having someone familiar with local customs will prove invaluable. Besides, as she said, magic. We still know next to nothing about it."

"Those are good points, but Winter is still the one in charge. I know she's your friend, but I don't know if I can just add her to the list."

"Excuse me, Mr. Xiao Long," Weiss interrupted, putting her scroll away, "Winter has given approval for Lelei to join us."

"Yes!" Ruby cheered.

Tai sighed, "Fine. Lelei's coming, but you do as I say, alright? Don't put yourself in danger."

"Of course."

There was a lapse in conversation, and Yang took the opportunity to ask, "Hey, Lelei, why let Ruby modify your staff, anyway? Don't you need it for, like, magic stuff?"

"My staff helps me focus my magic, but does little more than that. I saw that your weapons are so much more versatile and useful, so I asked Ruby to help improve my staff," Lelei explained.

Weiss frowned at the reasoning, "Won't that affect your magic? If your staff helps channel your magic, modifying it may cause its ability to be affected."

"Perhaps," Lelei agreed, nodding. Her attention still on her staff, she continued, "But it is merely a channel, not the source of my magic. Your materials and technology are more than able to make up for the loss, if any. Perhaps these strange metals are even more conducive for magic, which may..." Lelei's considerations faded off into mutters.

"Ruby, exactly what are you doing to her staff?"

"Oh! Well, I wanted to add a sniper gun into it," Ruby enthusiastically replied, "But Lelei wanted something that could be used without dust since she didn't have any. So I made some metal pellets for bullets because normal bullets need dust, but these pellets can't survive the force of a sniper rifle, so unfortunately I couldn't make that. I was wondering how to make it work without using fire or combustion dust, then I remembered that Lelei can make magical explosions. So I added a chamber that can contain and redirect the explosion to propel the bullet! Also, I wanted to make it a scythe but Lelei said no. Why would anyone say not to a scythe?"

"Your obsession with weapons still surprises me," Weiss commented.

"That's my sister," Yang said, slinging a hand over Ruby's shoulder, causing her to squeal and push her away. "Hey dad, did you just come here to check on us, or was there something you needed?"

Tai frowned as he remembered the reason he was looking for team RWBY in the first place. "How are you girls holding up?"

"What do you mean? We're ready to set out if that's what you're asking, Mr. Xiao Long," Weiss answered.

Tai shook his head. "No, not that," he elaborated, "The four of you are still students. Well, were still students recently. Now you're thrown into another world, with no way home. And now Winter wants you to undertake a dangerous mission into unknown territory to open this Gate up again. You're not ready for this. Why did you even agree?"

"It's like you said, dad. We want to reopen the Gate. Our friends are still there, back in Beacon, surrounded by the Grimm. Team JNPR, team SSSN, team CFVY, Tuka. They didn't make it here with us. So we're going to open this Gate, go back to Remnant and fond them," Ruby replied with conviction.

"And the other three of you?"

"As she said, we're doing this for our friends. We can't just sit around and wait for someone else to do it. We won't run from danger anymore," Blake added.

"That's right! I'm going to kick the ass of anyone who tries to stop us!" Yang declared.

Weiss rolled her eyes before replying, "We stay together. The Gate must be reopened, and Rory, the only one who knows how to do, wants us. This is the best course of action for the good of everyone here on Falmart. Don't worry about us, Mr. Xiao Long."

Tai gave a small smirk, "Well, glad to hear that you're doing fine. But remember, you're still young. Already, you have seen and done things no student should have to. Don't forget, while we don't expect any conflict in this mission, the unexpected will happen. If you need to talk, I'll be here for you. All of you." Tai paused for a moment before continuing," And while I like your focus, remember: this mission is not a guaranteed success. Just because Rory says that she knows how to open the Gate doesn't mean that she can. Don't put all your hopes on this. Stay alert out there tomorrow, and please don't do anything stupid."

"When have we ever did something like that?" Yang laughed.

Weiss rolled her eyes. Again. "I'm sure I don't need to remind you. Thank you, Mr. Xiao Long. I'll keep your daughters in line."

"Heh, no problem. Don't be afraid to come to me for anything. And please call me Tai, Mr. Xiao Long makes me feel old."

"You are old."

"Hey!"

* * *

Once more Pina marveled at the amazing creations of Remnant. The metal vessel that they had boarded was different from the previous one that they had used.

This one - a Bullhead, she had heard people call it - had wings. They did not flap like those of birds but instead spat fire and rushing winds. Entering the belly of the vehicle, Pina took her seat at a window, with Bozes beside her. As she waited calmly for the rest of the passengers to arrive, she tried to focus her turmoiled mind.

Should she push for war? To muster the full might of the Empire against the weakened Atlesians and destroy them while they could bring no reinforcements to bear? Or to push for an alliance, where the Empire could learn from the advanced technology of the enemy, and hopefully come out on top? Unfortunately, despite her newfound focus, Bozes was no help. She knew little about politics, despite her status. Pina would have to do this herself.

The airship began to rumble, jolting her out of her considerations. Beside her, Bozes tensed, and Piña was glad to see that her friend was keeping her fear in check as she prepared for anything.

"Alright guys, this is Tai, your captain for the day. Everyone's here, and I've gotten the go-ahead from Winter, so I'll be taking off in a moment," Tai called from the pilot's seat. Beside him sat Sedge the diplomat, acting as co-pilot.

Pina took a look at the other passengers. Team RWBY was clamoring for the window seats. Lelei was sitting cross-legged on the floor, deep in concentration as magic flowed freely around her. Her staff rest across her legs, glowing and spinning. Rory, halberd by her side, seemed more interested in examining the large metal cylinder in her lap. Pina recognized it as an Atlesian weapon, making her wonder just how the Apostle had managed to accomplish the task of acquiring it.

Actually, she had thought of a possible reason. The Gate had collapsed, and the Atlesians were obviously eager to reopen it and return to their home. One of the gods must have been responsible for opening the Gate in the first place, so it stood to reason that one could reopen it. And with Rory being an Apostle, it was obvious what hold she had over the 'Men in White'. She must have offered to talk to the gods about the Gate, but only if they did what she wanted. Then Pina wondered, could she make use of that? Rory had already convinced Winter not to send her soldiers along, as well as gift her a weapon. If Pina could convince her to get another, she could bring it to the imperial engineers to see if they could make their own.

With a roar, the airship took off. Pina glanced out of the window, gasping as the ground receded rapidly. Sure, she had been in one of these before, when being transported to Amity Colosseum, but that was just a short trip. Pina hadn't thought that such a fast vehicle could make the trip was all the way from Alnus to Sadera. It would take a mounted messenger more than a week, but it took the land vehicle less than a day. With the air roaring around her and the ground flashing past below, this was probably moving even faster.

"Alright, we're in the air and the skies are clear," Tai reported, seeming to chuckle to himself, "We'll get to Sadera in about two hours. Just a short trip, so we probably won't crash."

Two hours.

A journey of over one thousand leagues in two hours. Flying over any obstacle, untouchable by any army.

By all accounts, the Atlesians seemed unbeatable. Their incredible technology, their ability to manipulate the elements, their defensive aura, the dazzling might that their warriors casually displayed. It seemed impossible for anything to even try to contest them, let alone win... yet the Grimm had managed to do so.

The Fall of Beacon was absolute chaos, but one thing was clear. The Grimm had won, using sheer numbers to force the Atlesians out of their own home. Could the Empire do the same? They had the resources of an entire kingdom to draw on, as well as more from the lesser kingdoms under their rule. If need be, the Empire could raise an army of a hundred thousand.

But that had been tried, hadn't it?

The Battle of Alnus Hill was so one-sided that it was no battle. It was just a massacre, the forces of the allied nations stomped like a bug beneath a boot. If the Empire tried again to attack, there was little hope of a different outcome. Another massacre was all that awaited her people.

And then, the Atlesians would counter. No kingdom would simply sit by while their enemies launched waves after waves of attack. Pina could already see it in her mind. The roar of the flying beasts as they attacked, untouchable by the Empire's best. Massive explosions as strange, powerful magic ripped Sadera apart.

It was settled, then. Pina would try to make peace between the Empire and Remnant. For if there was war, they would surely lose.

* * *

The Bullhead was on autopilot, automatically flying along the preset path to Sadera. With clear skies ahead, Tai could sit back and let the aircraft fly itself.

Turning to his copilot, he asked, "So, Sedge, do you think you can talk them down?"

"I am a negotiator, not a miracle worker, Taiyang," he replied, "From what we've seen of this Empire, they will not back down until we surrender. Even against our technology, they just keep trying to kill us. Remember when we first got here?"

"When those idiots sent their men to get slaughtered against Alnus? What a waste of lives," Tai grimaced.

Sedge nodded, "Even against overwhelming force, the Empire refuses to back down. Centuries of dominance has really inflated their egos. Even now our scouts find that they're trying to reform their army."

"So you don't think you can convince them to have peace? What about Pina?"

"The princess? After what she saw, I'm sure that she knows that the Empire cannot defeat us. Hopefully, she's smart enough to recognize that, and help us push for peace. The easiest way to get the Empire to stand down is a show of force, but now with the Gate down, that's out of the question. Unfortunately, we're going to have to do this the long way."

"Sounds fun."

Sedge laughed, "Yeah, as fun as getting eaten by a Griffin. But enough of that. I'll handle the politics. You handle the Gate. Open that thing back up so that we can go home. You do know how to, right?"

"Not really," Tai admitted, "But Rory says that she knows someone who does - Hardy the goddess. And, seeing as how we still know nothing about the Gate itself, this is our best bet."

"Oh? Why is she so willing to help?"

Tai found that he had no answer to that. Everyone was so focused on a chance to reopen the Gate that they hadn't questioned the motives of the one who proposed the solution in the first place. As far as they knew, Rory could be leading them into a trap. However, "I don't think that Rory means to harm us. She could be tricking us, I suppose, but that's unlikely. I think that she wants the Gate open as much as we do."

"And if it is indeed a trap, can you take her down?"

"She will not turn on us. But if, for some reason, we end up fighting... Yes, I think we can subdue her."

"I seem to recall that she is immortal. And, if I'm not mistaken, she has her aura."

"We can't kill her, yes, and I doubt that the girls would even consider it. But, if for some reason we must, we can subdue her. Restrain her until we can figure something out. Let's just hope it never comes to that."

* * *

Salem was not pleased. Unfortunately, Tuka's elf magic wasn't enough. Some higher form of magic had been responsible for the original Gate's creation, and forcing open another was still out of Salem's capability. Every person from Falmart on Remnant had returned home, so there was little that she could do from Remnant. As such, Salem turned her attention to the other world.

Under the dead of night, Salem linked to her Seer. She sent the Grimm into action, creeping out of Alnus base. The guards and sensors were never expecting a single creature of Grimm, especially with the Gate down, much less one trying to escape instead of entering Alnus base. It was almost too easy for the Seer to leave the fortified base and enter the forest around it.

The Seer floated silently above the ground, it's many tentacles occasionally whipping out to gather information about the environment. Much of the plant life were simple things, so Salem ignored them. Small animals fled from the Seer, but they too were nothing special. She was on the hunt for something unique to Falmart, preferably with powerful magic... something like that dark elf sleeping under a tree.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the delay in uploading. Unfortunately, I have little time to write these days, so don't expect any kind of update schedule.

OK, numbers. From what I could find, there is no official distance between Alnus and Sadera, but I can make some calculations. Chapter 40, Page 18 of the Manga states that 'It takes 12-13 Days to reach the Capital by Horse.' Doing a quick search, the average distance a horse can go in a day is about 32 km. In 12 days, the distance the horse travels is approximately 384 km. From another map of Falmart that I googled up, there was a scale that I used to deduce the distance to be about 295 km between them. Note that this distance is a straight line, possible by helicopter (or Bullhead) but not by horse. So the numbers seem to add up. I couldn't find any information on the max speed of a Bullhead, but the average speed of a helicopter is 260 km/h. Both are Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) craft, so their speeds are likely similar. Tai Bullhead can easily make the trip from Alnus to Sadera in two hours.


	20. Chapter 20: Sadera

**Chapter 20: Sadera**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

It seems that some people really like Tuka. Unfortunately, she's already dead in this story and I'm not changing that. Sorry.

* * *

Untouchable by any bandit, the Bullhead arrived at Sadera, capital of the Imperial Empire, right on schedule.

Deciding that an unidentified aircraft flying over the capital city could invoke panic - or even be met as a declaration of war - Tai landed the Bullhead at a safe distance away from Sadera, hiding it within the trees of the nearby forest.

The crew got out and prepared to head for the city, readying their weapons and other cargo. As they did, Rory suddenly spoke up, "I'll stay here and guard the... I'm not sure what to call this. Flying metal chariot?"

"It's called a Bullhead," Tai told her, "And we don't need anyone to do that. I'm sure no one can get through the lock, and it'll ping my scroll if anyone tries."

"If you want to, you can set a seal on it, correct?" Lelei added. As an Apostle, Rory could place a magical seal on the lock, guaranteeing a painful death to any thief foolish enough to attempt to break in.

"Ah... But I still think that I should remain here. Just in case someone comes along."

"Rory, if you don't want to go to Sadera, you can just ask. I'm not going to force you to go," Tai said, seeing straight through her attempt.

"Oh." Rory gave an embarrassed laugh, "Great. I'll stay here then."

Lelei frowned at Rory, seeming to be deep in thought. "I will remain too. There is nothing for me to do in Sadera," she decided.

"Alright. Anyone else?" When no one spoke up, Tai continued, "Alright. The two of you, stay here, don't water off, and try not to do anything too dangerous. The rest of us will head to Sadera together and split up once we enter. Pina, Bozes, and Sedge will head to the palace and do whatever you need to. I'll take RWBY and find Oobleck and Vela, then we're off to Hardy. Any questions? No? Let's go."

* * *

"Halt!" the guard yelled, as he was supposed to do when a group of unknown people in strange clothes walked up to the gates of Sadera, armed with weapons that he could not identify. He held his spear and shield at the ready, noticing the other guards nearby do the same, and knowing that the archers on the top of the wall were ready to rain down arrows the moment anything went wrong.

Then Princess Pina Co Lada walked over from behind the group. With a knight at her side, she demanded, "Lower your weapons and let us through."

The guards were obviously supposed to obey the princess of the Empire, but they had all heard the rumors of the 'Men in White'. The rumors that they employed powerful warriors wearing strange clothes who could wipe out entire armies.

With Pina's presence there, the guards relaxed, if only slightly. "Princess," one ventured, "Who are these strangers? What business do they have in Sadera?"

The handsome man in a formal black suit stepped up at that, speaking in a clear voice, "My name is Sedge Plain. I am a negotiator from Remnant, representing who you call the 'Men in White'. I wish to talk to the Emperor so that our nations can come to an agreement."

The guards looked at each other. The Empire was already preparing for war. And while a few disagreed, the majority of the noble houses in power were onboard with the plan, gathering as much military might as possible to crush their enemy. For one of them to suddenly come walking up to Sadera and demanding an audience with Emperor Molt was unexpected. Was he a spy?

"I can vouch for this man. The Atlesians are honorable. He is no spy, and will not attack us," Pina said.

"I just wish to talk," Sedge said, giving a disarming smile.

"And the others?" a guard asked.

"They come seeking information. Enough questions. Let us through," Pina demanded.

The guards hesitated, then one got the courage to blurt out, "Can you ensure that they do not attack the city?"

"We will not draw our blades, except in self-defense. This I can guarantee," Sedge proclaimed.

"Alright then. Princess Pina, and guests, welcome to Sadera." The massive gates of the city slowly opened up, and the group walked into the capital of the Empire.

Pina turned to Tai. "I presume this is where we part ways," she said, "I shall head to the palace immediately."

"Actually, I have a better idea. We're going there was well. Oobleck and Vela are not the most inconspicuous people. Surely they have caught the eye of someone high up. The Emperor will be our best lead to finding them," Tai explained.

Pina nodded. "Very well. Follow me," she told them, leading the group through the crowded streets of Sadera. The crowds quickly parted for her once they noticed the princess walking through, allowing them to move largely unimpeded.

"Wait, didn't we leave Oobleck and Vela in Italica? How come we're searching for them here?" Ruby suddenly asked. Something had been bugging her for the entire trip over, and she finally figured out what it was. "Did Winter forget?"

"My sister would not make such a simple mistake," Weiss defended.

Tai seemed surprised, "Winter didn't tell you? She received a message from them some time ago. If you remember, they were searching for the man named Arta, one of the last few people unaccounted for. His trail led them to the capital, so they came here. Personally, they should have found him by now. I'm worried that something may have happened. How hard can it be to find a translator?"

The rest of the walk was silent. When the group reached the Imperial Palace, Pina led them through the guards, allowing them smooth entry all the way into the inner sanctum of the palace. While a servant entered the throne room to inform Emperor Molt of the princess' arrival, Pina turned to talk to the others. "When we enter, just follow my example. Let me do the talking, alright?"

"Sure," Tai agreed, giving team RWBY a look that dared them to speak out. They nodded frantically, and Tai seemed satisfied. "Let's go."

A pair of royal guards pushed open the towering twin doors of the throne room at Pina's command. The group entered the cavernous chamber, designed to showcase the wealth and power of the Empire. The Emperor sat in his throne at the end, elevated so that visitors had to look up at him. Behind him, colored glass allowed the light through in a manner specifically designed to impress. Guards stood at attention throughout the room.

Before anyone could speak, Emperor Molt exclaimed, "Ah, Pina, you've returned! How goes your scouting mission?"

"Greetings, father," Pina began, bowing, "I have been to their homeworld on the other side of the Gate, and-"

"You crossed the Gate? How? What did you learn?"

Pina politely ignored the outburst. "Their world is called Remnant. Their technology and powers..." Pina recalled the great floating colosseum, the speed and strength of the warriors... and the endless swarms of Grimm. "Are indescribable, as are the dangers of their world."

"Oh? Do you know exactly what they can do? What dangers?"

"I myself am still unsure of the full extent of their powers. However, I am sure that your majesty has noticed that I have brought visitors with me."

"Ah, yes, these strange men," Molt nodded. "Who are they, Pina?" Even as he spoke, he realized, "Are they perhaps from the other world?"

Pina gave Sedge a subtle nod, and he responded quickly. Bowing similarly to what Pina had done previously, he began, "Greetings, Emperor Molt. I am Sedge Plain. You are correct. I represent Remnant, and I have come here to discuss with you the future of our worlds."

The Emperor looked over the others accompanying Sedge, asking, "And what about them?"

Tai stepped up to answer that, "We are looking for some of our colleagues. They were last seen entering Sadera, and we were hoping that you have information on their whereabouts."

Emperor Molt gestured to one of the guards, and he bowed, understanding, before hurrying off. "I have summoned someone who can help with that. I will have a room prepared for you. He will meet you there," Molt announced. "I want to talk to the negotiator now."

It was a dismissal. Tai bowed slightly, leading team RWBY away. Sedge gave them a nod as they left, looking fully confident in his abilities.

* * *

Lelei knew that Rory wanted to be alone. She also knew that something was wrong. Even a novice mage could sense that the magic around her was changing, molding itself into different forms rapidly.

"How are you feeling, Rory?" Lelei asked.

Rory seemed annoyed. "Leave me alone, mage," she grumbled. Hoisting up her halberd, she dashed off into the trees.

Lelei watched her leave. Something was indeed wrong. Her soul itself seemed warped. Like it was reacting with something else, changing and growing. Ascending.

* * *

"I'm actually quite surprised," Tai commented as he and team RWBY followed a servant along the unfamiliar corridors of the Imperial Palace.

"Why?"

"I was expecting the four of you to do something inadvisable in there just now, and I would have to bail you out."

"What?" Yang gasped, "You wound me!"

Tai was unamused, "Specifically, you."

"Taiyang Xiao Long. This is a surprise," a familiar voice interrupted them. "You've met the Emperor, I see." Vela Fauxen, still wearing her flame-red dress, looked over at the group. Beside her stood Doctor Oobleck and a man dressed in the White of the Atlesian Army, a scar over his eye.

"Oh hey, we were just looking for you," Yang said.

"Hello, Vela. How did you get here?" Tai asked.

"I informed you that we were headed for Sadera, did I not?"

Blake interrupted them, eyes fixed on the Atlesian man, "You found him."

At the confused looks of the others, Vela introduced, "Tai, team RWBY, this is Arta Fauxen. My husband."

"Your-"

"Hey, Blake. Nice to see that you're doing fine," Arta greeted. Vela seemed to grumble a little at that but managed to mostly hide it.

"Oh, so that's why you were so insistent on coming to Falmart," Tai realized.

"Yes. Now, I'm afraid we cannot talk here forever. The Emperor said that you were looking for someone. Who is it?" Oobleck asked.

"Well, you, actually. This really makes our task easier. Here," Tai answered, handing over Winter's letter.

Doctor Oobleck took a few seconds to scan it before handing it over to the others. "Yes, I am aware of the Gate's collapse. We didn't share that piece of information with the Emperor, yet, so Sedge can deal with that however he wants. But if you believe that Hardy can reopen Tha Gate for us, then I will be glad to be of assistance!"

"I will remain here," Vela declared. Before anyone else could speak, she explained, "My husband and I are in the process of gaining the Emperor's trust and power in the court of Senators of the Empire. Our work is paramount in controlling the politics of our worlds. We will remain here to continue our work."

"We will need all the help we can get to reopen the Gate."

"You have Rory Mercury, Doctor Oobleck, and team RWBY. I am sure that you can figure it out without me. No. I can do more here, in the Capital. Which reminds me, do you have an extra scroll?"

"Hm? Yes, sure," Tai said, pulling it out. The scroll was provided by the Atlesian Army as a backup, in case something happened. "Why?"

"They have limited battery life."

"Oh, that's why you went off-grid."

"Indeed. Now, you should be on your way. The Gate will not reopen itself."

"Wait, I want to know what you've been doing here," Tai said.

"I will send you and Winter a detailed report. As much as you would like to catch up, we all have urgent matters to attend to. Go!" Vela commanded, "Open the way home!"

* * *

"They were bandits," Rory defended herself and the bloodstains on her clothes. "They were attacking people."

"I'm not saying that you were wrong, but..." Tai sighed, "Nevermind, just get cleaned up, please. We've found who we came for. Let's go pay Hardy a visit. Rory, which way do we go?"

The group entered the Bullhead, with Tai driving once more and Oobleck now in the copilot seat. The Empire had nothing that could hope to take down an airship the size and speed of a Bullhead, so Tai was not worried about any kind of threat. With the autopilot taking care of the driving - "head northwest" as ordered by Rory - he allowed himself to relax, closing his eyes while the airship headed unerringly towards Bellnago city, and Hardy's shrine within.

As such, he was slow to wake when the proximity alarm began to sound. By the time Tai got his bearings and took stock of the situation, it was already too late. The massive creature picked up by the radar was already too close.

A thunderous roar filled the air, and the sky filled with fire.

* * *

The Dushi clan was an ancient, proud and powerful dark elf clan. Having lived in their ancestral home within the Schwarz Forest for centuries, they had been all but invincible, taking the forest as their own.

That was before the Flame Dragon arrived. An unstoppable force released into the world half a century early, the unstoppable dragon tore their homes apart, slaying and eating all it could. Bringing death and destruction in its wake, it drove the dark elves out of their ancestral home and into the desolate mountains and canyons nearby. Still it hunted them in the dangerous land, stalking them relentlessly. The clan's numbers dropped, and a desperate plan was made to secure their future.

The rumors of the 'Men in White' painted them as powerful mages who could destroy entire armies with just a few warriors. The elders decided that it was imperative to enlist them to destroy this threat. With their unimaginable power, surely they could defeat the flame dragon.

The plan was simple: send a representative to Alnus Hill, where the 'Men in White' resided. Yao Ha Dushi was selected for this role. While her poor luck was almost legendary, her iron will, sense of duty, and keen survival instinct more than made up for it. Skilled with the blade and resonant with the spirits, the clan elders were confident that Yao would succeed in the task placed upon her.

Of course, to improve her chances, the elders had given her the tribe's greatest treasure, ND, while it had never been directly spoken, Yao knew that her elders expected her to offer herself as a further incentive. Due to her pride, Yao would not sell herself cheaply. But if it secured the head of a Flame Dragon and ensured her clan's survival, she would proudly pay the price.

Her journey had been long and dangerous, but now she had arrived. She had reached the city at night, and because of some reason, every inn in Alnus Town was full, so Yao decided to simply rest in the nearby forest before going to search for the 'Men in White' the next day. The spirits were calm there, granting her plentiful blessings and a good night's rest.

A loud rumble shook her out of her slumber. Looking up, through the canopy above her, a metal creature flew by. Bulky and cumbersome, Yao would not expect it to be agile, but it seemed to rule the air, spitting fire behind it as it turned on the spot before roaring off.

Such an amazing creature could belong only to the legendary 'Men in White', Yao reasoned, her heart soaring as she quickly packed her meager belongings, taking extra care to ensure that her treasure was intact.

Hefting her bag, Yao was about to move on to complete her mission when an unusual creature floated over to her. For a moment, she thought that the jellyfish-like creature was a creation of the 'Men in White', but she quickly dismissed that notion. Unlike the gleaming metal creatures that she had seen, this one seemed darker and more alive, its many tentacles flicking the air.

Cautious, Yao drew her sword, ready to fend off a potential attack. She had never seen anything like it, but the subtle aura of fear that it emanated told her that it was likely to be hostile. That, and it simply felt wrong, an unnatural creation of pure destruction.

As the two faced off, black smoke began to fill the air around the mysterious creature. Yao watched in horrified fascination as a figure took shape. Over twice the height of a man, it took the form of a terrifying woman with pale skin and black veins, her body wreathed in dark smoke.

"Greetings, child," she began.

Snapping out of her shock, Yao stepped back, taking a defensive stance with her sword at the ready. Despite the strangeness of the encounter, she was already figuring out what was happening. The tentacled creature must be some kind of familiar, she decided, forming an illusion of its master. And even though she knew that it was just an illusion, the undercurrents of fear that it brought with it refused to subside.

"I mean you no harm. Tell me your name, elf."

Still gripping her blade, Yao weighed her options. "I am Yao Ha Dushi of the Dushi clan. Who are you, stranger, and what is your purpose with me?"

"My name is Salem. I can help you."

Yao laughed bitterly. "Can you destroy a Flame Dragon? Begone, witch. You cannot help me."

"What if I could?" the woman asked, her image floating down, closer to Yao herself. She found herself instinctively stepping back, bringing her sword up. Salem gave a chilling smile, "I have an army. I can kill this dragon for you."

"Maybe you speak the truth, but why should I trust you? The 'Men in White' have demonstrated their power in defeating the Empire. I will seek them," Yao replied with conviction.

If anything, Salem's smile grew wider, "Them? Those invaders from another world cannot help you. You need me."

It was getting harder to think, for some reason. But like a headache, Yao pushed the strange pulsing in her heard aside. She had a duty to fulfill. "You can offer me nothing they cannot," she siad, and turned to leave. As she did, she remained tense, ready to dodge aside if the creature tried to attack her.

Save for the slight flicking of its barbed tentacles, the floating thing remained still. Salem's illusion faded away, whispering one last, ominous sentence that seemed to go straight into her mind.

"I will wait for you here, Yao Ha Dushi."


End file.
